Dr. Cara Estes - Professor

Cara Estes, Ph.D. cestes@mooremarinecollege.com

Professor of Oceanography and researcher focused on elasmobranch research off the coast of Tarpon Springs, FL.


Education

2017-2023 University of South Florida College of Marine Science PhD program

Graduate Research Assistant (Biological Oceanography) Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, Major Advisor

2016 Florida State University, Bachelor of Science in Biology, minor Chemistry (Graduated with Honors)


Employment 2023

Moore Marine College – Professor of Oceanography

2018 Oceanography Camp for Girls– Science Mentor

2016-2017 AmeriCorps –Environmental Steward

2015 NOAA-Reef Fish Survey –Summer Internship Team Member

2014 NASA DEVELOP Program –Research Associate


Publications

Estes, C. (2016). Comparison of Reef Fish Communities East and West of Cape San Blas in Northeast Gulf of Mexico. Retrieved from http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1470348249

Medina, M., Estes, C., Best, B., Stallings, C.D., Montes, E., McEachron, L.G., Muller-Karger FE. (2021). Reef-fish abundance, biomass, and biodiversity inside and outside no-take marine zones in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: 1999–2018. Oceanography. 34:2. https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2021.214.

Estes, C. (2023). Time-Series Analysis of Coral Reef and Reef-Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10719



Teaching Credentials

2023- Professor of self-developed 200-400 level college courses (Marine Ecology, R for Statistics, Elasmobiology, Marine Ecosystems, Advanced Marine Biology, Ichthyology, Fisheries, and on boat labs). Teach 9-12 credit hours a semester

Master’s Students

Current: Aziz Hassanali, Grace Kim 2023- Elasmobranch Professor for CMERA summer program (four hour-long lectures every week from May-August)

2018 Oceanography Camp for Girls—Science mentor

2016-2017 Implemented a STEM curriculum targeting third and fifth grade students at 22 different elementary schools in Walton and Okaloosa County


Jessica Place - Professor

Jessica Place, Ed.M.


Dedicated marine biologist and educator with a strong foundation in biology education, environmental science, and hands-on marine research. Passionate about fostering student curiosity, scientific literacy, and stewardship of marine ecosystems through experiential and inquiry-based learning.


Educational Background


  • Master of Science in Biology Education – State University of New York at Oswego

  • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Ecosystems – Binghamton University


Professional Experience: 

Secondary Education Instruction


  • Spencer-Van Etten High School, New York

  • Baldwinsville Central School District, New York

  • Courses taught: Living Environment, Environmental Science

Animal Care & Fieldwork Experience


  • Research Assistant, Coastal Marine Education and Research Academy

  • Dog Trainer, Sit Means Sit Dog Training

  • Veterinary Receptionist, Society for the Promotion of Education in Animal Kindness

Academic Instruction & Course Development


  • Coral Reefs (MBO 4700)

  • Environmental Ethics (ETH 1000)

  • Marine Invertebrate (MBO 3900)

  • Marine Invertebrate Field Lab (MBO 3900L)


Nayka Miller - Professor

Nayka B.F. Miller, Ed.M.
Also known as Señora Miller
Pen name: Nayka Barrios Jaén


Multilingual educator and researcher with a global teaching footprint in the U.S. and Latin America. Over 15 years of experience in K–12 education, and 5 years in college-level instruction, with a focus on second language acquisition, instructional technology, and cross-cultural pedagogy.


Educational Background

  • Doctorate in Education and Research (Ed.D.) – In progress, Dissertation: Integration of multimodal artificial intelligence in bilingual education and digital literacy to support academic and economic mobility in adult learners
  • Master of Education in Applied Linguistics and Higher Education – Universidad de Jaén, Spain
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Teaching for Language Acquisition – Harvard University
  • Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Advertising – UDI Panamá
  • Florida Department of Education Certified Educator.
  • Cervantes Institute Certification, Spain
  • College Board AP Spanish Reader & Table Leader


Professional Experience: 

Higher and Secondary Education Instruction

  • St. Petersburg College, Shorecrest Preparatory School, Florida Virtual School,
  • Clearwater Central Catholic School
  • Courses taught: AP Spanish Language and Culture, ESL Writing &
  • Communication, Conversational Spanish I–IV

Governmental and International Work

  • Managed OAS-funded development projects through the Ministry of the
  • Presidency of Panamá, focusing on national and indigenous communities

Author of Instructional Literature

  • Published under Nayka Barrios Jaén
  • Titles include bilingual readers and novels for CEFR levels A1–C1

Professional Memberships

  • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
  • American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP)
  • International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

Global engagement is maintained through ongoing academic collaboration and regular travel between the United States, Panamá, and Spain.