Molly Kennedy

Graduate Student - Invertebrate Zoology

Contact Info

Haworth Hall
Lawrence

Biography —

I am a Ph.D. student in the Jensen Lab focusing on the evolution of elasmobranch (sharks, skates, and rays) tapeworm life cycles. I also have a background in spatial ecology, science communication, and microbiology.

Education —

B.S. in Marine Biology, Florida Southern College, 2025, Lakeland, Florida
Summa Cum Laude with Honors

Research —

My work focuses on the ecology and evolution of parasitic life cycles, particularly those of elasmobranch tapeworms. I am currently working on a large-scale effort to sample intermediate hosts in the waters of the Gulf Coast and southeastern United States to help resolve the life cycles of elasmobranch cestodes.

Selected Presentations —

American Society of Parasitologists 100th Annual Meeting, Wiston-Salem, NC, July 2025, Kennedy, M., Langford, G. "Hidden In Plain Sight: Combining morphological and molecular tools to study cestode diversity in Young-of-the-year Bull Sharks Carcharhinus leucas, with notes on some of their life cycles"
Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society 44th Annual Meeting, St Augustine, FL, May 2025, Kennedy, M., Langford, G. “You Are What You Eat: Establishing Tapeworm Life Cycles in Juvenile Bull Sharks Carcharhinus leucas”
Southeastern Society of Parasitologists Spring Meeting 2025, Auburn, AL, April 2025, Kennedy, M., Langford, G. “You Are What You Eat: Establishing Tapeworm Life Cycles in Juvenile Bull Sharks Carcharhinus leucas”
Fiat Lux Academic Showcase at Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, November 2024, Kennedy, M., Langford, M. “Isolation and Assessment of Antibacterial Properties of Microbes Sampled From the Epidermis of Juvenile Bull Sharks, Carcharhinus leucas, and Cownose Rays, Rhinoptera bonasus, in Tampa Bay”
Helminthological Society of Washington and Southeastern Society of Parasitologists Spring Meeting 2024, Lexington, VA, April 2024, Kennedy, M., Langford, G. “You Are What You Eat: Establishing Tapeworm Life Cycles in Juvenile Bull Sharks Carcharhinus leucas” (poster)

Awards & Honors —

Big Tie Most Impactful Presentation Award, American Fisheries Society
Florida Chapter Senior Speaker for Spring Commencement
Florida Southern College Biology Merit Award, Department of Biology
Florida Southern College Dennis Punches Student Travel Grant, American Fisheries Society, Florida Chapter (x2)
Martha Mitchell Pearson Graduate Scholarship, University of Kansas
National Panhellenic Conference Scholar Award, National Panhellenic Council Boris T. Sokoloff
Southern Biological Research Scholarship, Florida Southern College Best Poster Award
Southeastern Society of Parasitologists Faculty/Student Collaborative Research Grant, Florida Southern College (x2)
Hansen Science Scholarship, Florida Southern College
Pfeiffer Scholarship, Florida Southern College

Memberships —

American Society of Parasitologists
American Fisheries Society Florida Chapter
Southeastern Society of Parasitologists Zeta Tau Alpha