Grace Schleiden joined the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute (UCI) in June as a coastal restoration technician. In this role, Schleiden will assist with the UCI’s portfolio of coastal resilience restoration research projects both in the field and laboratory.
Schleiden graduated from Monmouth University in May of 2026 with a B.S. in marine and environmental biology and policy. She has experience working on various research projects including oyster reef restoration, environmental DNA analysis, and coastal monitoring. In addition, she is Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Open Water Diver certified.
Schleiden will assist with operations at the UCI’s offsite aquaculture facility at Naval Weapons Station Earle (NWSE), including setting tank maintenance, setting of oysters, and daily monitoring of tanks. She will also conduct field research using a variety of methodologies and techniques to monitor species richness, oyster growth and survival, water quality and shoreline protection efforts.