Ann Williams – Shark Bites versus Bacteria

Dr. Ann Williams, Professor of Biology at UT, recently presented to the Honors students on her research into the bacteria found in shark mouths. She and a number of students swabbed the mouths of sharks and took water samples where they caught the sharks (then released the sharks). They then cultured the samples and found a wide array of bacteria, some of which were antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The takeaway – swimming with open cuts or a weakened immune system in the Hillsborough River or in parts of Tampa Bay is more dangerous than are sharks!

Zoe Golden and Sam Johnson – Honors Symposium – Honors Theses

Two Honors students, Zoe Golden and Sam Johnson, presented their Honors Theses to a group of Honors students. Zoe is working with Dr. Bridgette Froeschke in the Environmental Studies Department and is studying the stomach contents of various species of fish in the Tampa Bay area. Sam is working with Dr. Dan Huber, also of the Environmental Studies Department at UT and is studying the morphology of hammerhead sharks.