Faculty Spotlight on Marianne Porter, Ph.D., and the Biomechanics Laboratory

For over 10 years, Marianne Porter, Ph.D., has been leading the way in biological sciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. A well-established researcher in comparative biomechanics and functional morphology, Porter currently serves as a co-director of Florida Atlantic University’s Master’s in Marine Science and Oceanography program , and she is a founding member of Florida Atlantic’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS) . In addition, she has also served as an associate professor of biology for many years, and has been awarded accolades such as the coveted National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Career (CAREER) award.

“I thoroughly enjoy getting to teach undergraduate and graduate classes related to my research area — comparative biomechanics,” shared Porter. “In recent years, I have been teaching a class on sharks and rays for undergraduates. It’s enjoyable to integrate all the concepts they learned in their earlier required biology classes and then apply that knowledge to a topic that they are super excited and passionate about — sharks!”

Porter dives deep into the mechanics of how animals move. In her lab, the Florida Atlantic Biomechanics Laboratory (the FAB Lab), Porter and her team use the ocean to study biological materials, skeletal systems and locomotion in marine animals, and use these areas of research for bio-inspired materials, devices, and robots. The FAB Lab is housed within the Department of Biological Sciences in the Schmidt College of Science, on the Boca Raton campus.

“It is essential to consider the environment in which animals are moving,” stated Porter. “For example, are they moving around a coral reef or out in the open ocean? One of our recent papers examined the patterns of mineralization in thresher shark vertebral columns to try to understand the skeletal support needed during the tail whipping behavior they use to hunt.”

Years ago, Porter saw the need for the university to offer a graduate-level degree program, and she helped to launch the Master of Science in Marine Science and Oceanography (MSO) degree program. In 2017, the program came to fruition and started with four students.

The MSO master’s program is part of a multidisciplinary and multi-initiative through ECOS. The primary educational objective of the program is to provide graduate students with a broad understanding of coastal, nearshore, and oceanographic science, along with the research and inquiry skills necessary to independently conduct research and answer questions within their area of specialization. 

“MSO graduate students get highly specialized training with one or two faculty to conduct their thesis research,” said Porter. “In our program, students benefit from the varied expertise represented in the program faculty, from the College of Science and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI), teaching classes and serving on student committees.”  

Florida Atlantic has been a leader in marine science and oceanography for more than 50 years. In 2007, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute joined Florida Atlantic and further strengthened the university’s dominance in marine research.

“Our university is Atlantic Ocean-adjacent, and as a result, the university has been able to attract many amazing faculty over the decades,” explained Porter. “Our program is working on ways to increase our visibility and recruit students from around the country, as well as within Florida. As Florida Atlantic gains R1 Carnegie status, my hope is to continue to build a program that is well-known both nationally and internationally.”