Jacqueline F. Webb, Ph.D.

E-mail: jacqueline_webb “at” uri.edu

• Associate in Ichthyology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (2009-Pres.)
• Professor Emerita, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island (2024-Pres.)

• 2024 Robert K. Johnson Award for Excellence in Service, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
• 2024 URI Foundation Teaching Excellence Award
• 2020 Research Excellence Award, College of the Environment and Life Sciences, URI
• George and Barbara Young Chair in Biology (2016-2024)
• Director, URI Marine Biology Program (2006-2024)
• Professor of Biological Sciences (2006-2024)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Morphology and Biological Bulletin
• Member of the Corporation – SEA Education Association (Woods Hole, MA)
• Whitman Center Associate, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole  (2014 – Pres.),
• Associate in Ichthyology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ. (2009-Pres.)
• Guest Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (2003-Pres.)

Recent article in URI’s Momentum Magazine – Click HERE.

Dr. Yinan Hu, Post-Doctoral Fellow, 2015-2017. (PhD. UMass Amherst, Lab of Dr. Craig Albertson) – Sensory ontogeny in a coral reef goby. Funded by NSF grant to JFW. [had been post-doc in McMenamin Lab, Boston College; Charles A. King Trust Postdoctoral Research Fellow; now working in the genomics industry]

Dr. Daniel Bassett, Post-Doc, 2007-2008 (PhD, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Lab of Dr. John Montgomery). Lateral line mediated feeding behavior in a Lake Malawi cichlid. [Now in industry in New Zealand]

Jenna O’Del, MS Student, 2020-Pres. (BS, University of New Hampshire, 2020) “Defining Evolutionary and Developmental Patterns of Lateral Line Scale Meristics Among Teleosts” [now working for RI Department of Environmental Management]

Dr. Aubree Jones, PhD Student, 2018-2023. (BS, Texas A & M University, 2017). “Form and Function of the Lateral Line system in Three North American Fishes: Development, Evolutionary Insights, and Impacts of Climate Change”. NSF Graduate Research Fellow (GRFP, 2019-2022)., Raney Award from the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. [now Instructor, Wellesley College]

Katie Nickles, MS 2019 (BS Marine Biology, University of Rhode Island, 2016)  ““Development of the lateral line system and visual system in a goby, Elacatinus lori”. Funded by URI Teaching Assistantship and NSF Grant to JFW. [now Instructor, Wellesley College]

Dr. Julia Johnstone, MS  (2014-2017) (BS Smith College) – “Investigating Lateral Line Canal Morphogenesis as a Bone Remodeling Process in Two Lake Malawi Cichlids” (supported by URI Administrative Graduate Assistantship (2 years); Honorable Mention NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) [Now working for NOAA Office of Exploration; completed PhD, U. Maine 2021]

Ashley Marranzino, MS 2016 (BS, Regis University), NSF Graduate Research Fellow (GRFP, 2013-2016) – “Flow Sensing in the Deep Sea: The Lateral Line System of Deep Sea Fishes in the Order Stomiiformes”. Winner, 2016 Stoye Award (Best student paper presentation) in Genetics, Development and Morphology awarded by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Awarded Lerner-Gray Marine Research Grant [2014, American Museum of Natural History],  [now working for NOAA Office of Exploration; had been lecturer in biology at Armstrong State Univ., Georgia]

Lauren Carter, MS 2014 (BS, University of Rhode Island) – Development of the lateral line canal pores in two species of cichlid fishes. Funded by URI Athletics (crew) and NSF grant to JFW [working for Sea Grant, Baton Rouge, LA]

Dr. Margot A. Bergstrom Schwalbe, PhD 2013 (MS, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Lab of Dr. Al Mensinger)  – Dissertation: “The role of flow sensing by the mechanosensory lateral line system in prey detection behavior of two species of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes”. Funded by URI Teaching Assistantship, URI Graduate Research Fellowship, NSF grant to JFW [Assistant Professor of Biology, Lake Forest College (IL);  had been a post-doc at Tufts University (Tytell lab)]

Emily A Becker, MS 2013 (BS, University of Rhode Island) – Distribution and ontogeny of neuromast receptor organic and a comparison of methods for chemical ablation of the lateral line system in two cichlid fishes. Funded by URI Teaching Assistantship and NSF Grant to JFW  [Now working for Greenfins; Had worked as Aquaculture Manager at Armstrong State Univ. and at a commercial fish farm in MD and as Ass’t Director, Zebrafish Facility, Duke University Medical Center]

Insley Haciski, MS 2010 (BS, Dickinson College) – Developmental morphology of the lateral line system in the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea.

Margaret (Molly) Moore, MS 2006 (Villanova Univ.) (BS, University of Georgia). Osteoclast activity in the morphogenesis and growth of the lateral line canals in zebrafish. [taught HS for several years; graduated from UPenn School of Nursing, now a Registered Nurse]

Christopher Woods, MS 2006 (Villanova Univ.) (BSc, University of Portsmouth, UK). Functional morphology and acoustic properties of the swim bladder of butterflyfishes. Funded by Teaching Assistantship and NSF Grant to JFW [Now Clinical Study Manager at Glaxo Smith-Kline in UK]

J. Lucas Herman, MS 2005 (Villanova Univ.) (B.A., Franklin & Marshall College). Morphology of the ear of butterflyfishes. Funded by NSF Grant to JFW.

Dr. W. Leo Smith, MS 2003 (Villanova Univ.) (B.S. University of California, San Diego). Comparative morphology and evolution of the laterophysic connection in butterflyfishes. Funded by NSF grant to JFW [Ph.D. Columbia University/American Museum of Natural History; had been Assistant Curator of Fishes, Field Museum (Chicago); Now Associate Professor and Curator of Fishes, University of Kansas; http://www.fishphylogeny.com]

Melissa Tarby Wasko, MS 1998 (Villanova Univ.) (B.S., Villanova University). Morphogenesis of the lateral line canals in the cranial dermal bones of the cichlid, Archocentrus nigrofasciatus. [now a Registered Nurse]

Dr. Angela Wonsettler Ridgel, MS 1996 (Villanova Univ.) (B.A., College of William and Mary). Morphology and development of the mechanosensory lateral line system of the trunk of hexagrammid fishes. [now Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology, Kent State University; publications]  See her TEDxKentState Talk – “Exercise is Brain Food” here.

Elizabeth (Libby) Molnar, BS Marine Biology, URI (2019) “Elaborations of the Lateral Line System in Tetras (Family Characiformes)”. Funded by NSF Grant to JFW, 2018 URI/CELS Coastal Fellowship and a Provost’s Office Undergraduate Research Grant.

Dr. Christopher Holland, BS in Animal Science, Minor in Marine Biology, URI (2013) – sound production and aggression-related color changes in cichlids [Now Post-doc at Oregon State Univ., did PhD. in Animal Behavior at Texas A&M, 2018]

Timothy Alberg, BS in Biomedical Engineering, URI (2011) – µCT imaging of fishes [now working as a biomedical engineer]

Melissa Hardy, (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Comparative development of the lateral line system in Lake Malawi cichlids, and histological analysis of Chaetodon ear development.

Morgan Falk (BS, Villanova Univ.) –  Comparative development of the lateral line system in Lake Malawi cichlids.

Ryan M. Walsh, MD (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Senior Thesis – Development of the ear in the spotfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon ocellatus. (See Webb et al., 2012, Environmental Biology of Fishes) [now a physician in the US Army]

Sandra Castelli, MD  (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Light organ structure and systematics of leiognathid fishes, and morphology of the laterophysic connection in butterflyfishes. [now Attending Physician, Internal Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens]

Briana DiSilvio (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Neuromast and tooth diversity in mesopelagic fishes.

Jonathan Shirey, MD (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Honors Thesis – Post-embryonic development of the lateral line canals in the zebrafish, Danio rerio (see Webb and Shirey, 2003, Developmental Dynamics) [now an MD (anesthesiology) in Hershey, PA]

Nancy LaVine, MD (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Honors Thesis – Development of the olfactory organs in the whitespotted greenling, Hexagrammos stelleri. [now an MD]

Dhira Khosla, MD (BS, Villanova Univ.) – Honors Thesis – Scale meristics and neuromast distribution in the lateral line system of teleost fishes. [now an MD]