Biology Students Chosen for Graduate Programs
The 2025 USCB Biology senior class is full of standout students, with many pursuing post-graduate degrees. Meet Piper Davis, Garrett Willford and Lindsey Baker:
Lindsey Baker found a deep passion for teaching and research during her time at USCB. She has a love of the biological sciences as far back as she can remember. She has worked under Dr. Edward D’Antonio for the past three years on early-stage therapeutic drug development for intracellular parasitic diseases Chagas’ and Leishmaniasis. She won first place at Discover USC Day and second place at the USCB Research and Scholarship Day for her profound research.
In Fall 2025, Baker will start a PhD Program at the University of South Carolina Columbia in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. She will be working in Dr. Melissa Ellermann’s laboratory to study microbe-host interactions in the gut that may play a role in facilitating inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease. She hopes to make scientific discoveries that aid in the advancement for treatment in those suffering from chronic disease.
Piper Davis is a Biology major with a concentration in Coastal Ecology & Conservation. She will pursue a Master's in Biology at Georgia Southern University, joining the CRABEY Lab under Dr. John Carroll with a full scholarship and teaching assistantship. There she will study oyster reefs along the east coast. In March 2022, Piper was awarded a prestigious Department of Energy (DOE) Internship in environmental science. Piper has also worked with Dr. Daniel Kaplan on microbial biogeochemistry research at the University of Georgia for two summers. She contributed to science at USCB by working with Dr. Mercer Brugler, who introduced her to oyster reef research and sparked her passion for coastal ecosystems. Dr. Kim Ritchie has also been a key mentor, guiding Piper's development as a researcher.
On campus, Davis has shown leadership as president of the Student Ambassadors and as a resident assistant, supporting and mentoring her peers. She is from Aiken, South Carolina.
Garrett Willford will begin a master’s in marine biology at the Grice Marine Laboratory at the College of Charleston. While at USCB, Willford worked as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Eric Montie’s Marine Sensory and Neurobiology Lab. He collaborated on a manuscript exploring the effects of climate variability and vessel noise on fish calling, which is an important part of marine conservation research. Willford earned first place at Discover USC Day 2024 for his work entitled “Temporal Synchrony in Courtship Behavior of Sound-Producing Fish Across Estuaries in South Carolina.” During the summer of 2024, Willford interned at the Waddell Mariculture Center, a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources saltwater hatchery facility in Bluffton. There he gained hands-on knowledge of aquaculture and fishery management.
Willford served as president of USCB's Environmental Sustainability and Conservation Club, helping lead boat ramp, beach, and campus cleanups; tree plantings,; plant sales; and efforts to develop a sustainability plan for the university campus. After completion of his master's, Willford wants to earn a doctorate and help conserve the environment through a career as a fish biologist. He is from Spartanburg, South Carolina.
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CW 04/07/25