From Rochester to the Pacific, and everywhere in between

Marcelina Martynek ’18 is currently a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania. She works with the Barott Lab, aiding in the investigation of how corals and other marine organisms interact with their surroundings and coping with climate change. Her work regularly brings her to Hawaii and has taken her as far as Australia. Recently, Martynek shared some background on her program and how she came to find herself in marine biology despite graduating from the University of Rochester with degrees in brain and cognitive sciences and computer science.

Like many recent alumni, Martynek was unsure of what path to follow when she moved back to her native New York City following graduation, so she decided to explore the University of Rochester network in her area. “It was a lifeline when I was out of school because I had no idea what to do; the world is so big,” she said. “I really tapped in locally to the groups that were engaged in New York City, and the networks were so much deeper and more spread than I had ever thought.”

It took her nearly a year to secure her first job and she credits the Metro New York Women’s Network for giving her guidance and giving her an outlet to explore her interest in research. “The New York Metro Women really helped me keep my head in the game when I was looking for a job right out of college,” Martynek said. When she reached out for help, she was invited to a breakfast and had the opportunity to network with others who had pursued a path in academia and graduate education.

Her pursuit of research led her to Philadelphia and Penn, where she quickly became acquainted with the Rochester network in the region. “I briefly had a stint with the Young Alumni Council (YAC) in New York, and then I was transferred to the YAC in Philadelphia,” she explained. “I remember the first week that I moved to Philly, there was an event, and I went, and I met all these people, and it was very nice.”

The ease with which her Rochester network helped her transition to Philadelphia has enabled her to excel in her PhD program, where much of her research is focused on coral reefs and the impact of climate change on their resilience.

It may not have been where she saw herself upon her graduation from Rochester, but she is excited about the path she is now on and the impact of her research. “Reefs are really important globally. They provide coastline protection by absorbing up to 97% of a wave’s power, and they provide economic benefits that translate to trillions of dollars into the global economy. There are projections that up to 30% of all marine life rely on reefs for food, shelter, and nurseries, but they only cover about 1% of the earth’s surface,” Martynek said. “In the grand scheme of things, we have to try to figure out if these ecosystems are going to collapse, or if they’re not. But there’s still a lot of hope, and I prefer to be on that side.”

Once her program concludes, she will look to continue working in the marine field. She has hopes to bridge the gap between science and the public and quell some of the hesitancies some have toward the scientific community. Martynek may not have expected to follow the path she’s on, but she appreciates the Rochester network for being available when she needed it.

The University has worked so hard to place networks in cities where its graduates go. For me, that was certainly a lifeline because it gave me a community. I continue with the young alumni council in Philly because I know how important it was for me,” she said. “You really have to utilize the networks that are there, and no one’s going to turn you away.

–Benjamin Vandenberg, 2025