Chiara Borrelli (Lab PI)

She is an Assistant Professor of Instruction and an Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rochester. She received her B.S. in Marine Biology and Oceanography (2007) and her M.S. in Marine Biology (2009) from the Polytechnic University of Marche (Ancona, Italy). In 2010, she moved to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY), where she earned her Ph.D. in Geology in 2014.

Broadly speaking, she is a paleoceanographer. Her main research tool is a group of microfossils called foraminifera, which are eukaryotic, unicellular organisms. Among foraminifera, calcareous species are particularly important because the investigation of their shell chemistry provides a wealth of information about oceanic environments and climate in the geological past. In her research, she aims to better understand the connections between the environment and the foraminiferal chemical and isotopic composition to address questions related to past changes in ocean circulation, climate, and sedimentary biogeochemical cycles.

Even if most of her research time is spent between a laboratory and an analytical facility, fieldwork is an important component of her research effort. For example, she participated to two expeditions in different geographic locations (i.e. Svalbard and the US Atlantic margin). She also participated to the International Ocean Discovery Program Expeditions 390 & 393 (South Atlantic Transect) as a shore-based member of the scientific party (benthic foraminiferal micropaleontologist).

Andressa Nauter-Alves (PhD student)

Andressa grew up in Brazil, where she earned a B.S. in Geology (2017) and a M.S. in Geoscience (2022) from Unisinos University. Her early research focused on geochemistry and the application of microfossils in biostratigraphy, paleoecology, and paleoceanography studies. 

She joined the Paleoceanography Lab Group at the University of Rochester, NY, as a Ph.D. student in fall 2023. Her current research aims to (1) understand the offsets in multiple benthic foraminiferal element/Ca ratios (Mg-Li-B-Sr/Ca) as a function of vital effect and environmental parameters, and (2) better constrain deep-sea temperature and continental ice volume changes and their connections to atmospheric CO₂ variations over the past 77 million years.  Her research involves the use of Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to analyze benthic foraminiferal element/Ca ratios. She also uses benthic foraminiferal oxygen and carbon stable isotopes. For her projects, Andressa analyzes samples from multiple International Ocean Discovery Program (and sister programs) sites across different paleodepths in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Aidan Trendell (PhD student)

Aidan began his PhD in Fall 2025. He is a lifelong swimmer, and lover of the ocean. Aidan came to Rochester after completing his BA in Earth and Environmental Sciences with his High-Honors Senior thesis “Benthic Foraminifera Morphology Tracks Dynamic Oxygenation change in the Southwestern Western Interior Seaway During OAE2” as well as received the departmental Sease Prize for outstand contributions to Environmental Science. Aidan continues his work as a paleoceanographer and micropaleontologist at U of R studying Eocene through Early Oligocene pelagic ecosystems and paleoceanography.

Lily Matt (undergraduate student)

Lily is a third-year student at the University of Rochester, where she is pursuing a degree in Environmental Science (BS) and a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies. She is very passionate about research and she has been working in the Paleoceanography Lab for the last two years. In her spare time, she enjoys being in nature and reading.

Katerina Yang (undergraduate student)

Katerina is a second-year student at the University of Rochester majoring in Environmental Science (BS). She is really interested in sustainability and ecology.