05/26/2026
What if we could forecast oyster die-offs the way meteorologists forecast storms? 🦪
Andrew Villeneuve, a 2026 doctoral graduate in UNH's Department of Biological Sciences, has been doing exactly that. Using computer modeling, he's spent his time at UNH building biological forecasts that predict when and where marine heatwaves will cause mass mortality events in oysters and coral. This will give resource managers the tools to respond before it's too late.
His work hits close to home, too. Andrew's research on oysters in Great Bay is revealing how heat stress at low tide is quietly causing oyster losses in New Hampshire each summer — and pointing to other stressors that may be making things worse.
"It is my hope that some of my Ph.D. work may help put a dent in the enormity of this challenge and better guide society to a sustainable future."
This year, Andrew was awarded the UNH Dissertation Year Fellowship, support that's giving him the uninterrupted time to do his best work. "Having the freedom to spend an entire year just thinking about my research has already begun to accelerate my work in ways that would not have been possible if I were splitting time teaching or working as a research assistant," he says.
As a recent 2026 grad, Andrew plans to continue this work as a postdoctoral researcher and, eventually, a university professor. Congrats, Andrew!
UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture UNH Research
