Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

Matthew Bevil '14 is a marine biology concentrator interested in the processes that generate and maintain coastal ecosystems. He is working on a joint Voss project with fellow undergraduate Sinead Crotty in collaboration with Professor Mark Bertness (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) and Dr. Kenny Raposa (Narragansett Bay Estuarine Research Reserve). The group will assess the recent spread of salt marsh die-off into Narragansett Bay. Creek bank die-off has been documented in Cape Cod marshes, but only recently arrived in Rhode Island. The team will investigate how patterns of die-off relate to shoreline development, recreational fishing, and other human and environmental factors. Through this project, they hope to inform future coastal conservation and management. Matthew is from Mary Esther, FL and is on the Track & Field Team at Brown. In his spare time, he enjoys kayaking, swimming, and volleyball.