Research and Work Experience

  • Research Assistant, January 2007 to present, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
    • Under supervision of Dr. Robert Toonen
    • Investigating the impact of life history choices on population connectivity, using sea stars as a model system.   
    • Responsible for field collection and for the development of 3 nuclear intron population markers across 12 species.
  • Teaching Assistant, January 2007, “Recent Advances in Conservation Genetics”
    • Under supervision of Dr. Brian Bowen
    • Helped with logistical organization and laboratory instruction for the American Genetic Association, Laboratory of Genomic Diversity of the National Cancer Institute, and The Smithsonian Institution’s Conservation & Research Center’s course hosted at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
  • Teaching Assistant, Fall 2006, University of Hawaii
    • Under supervision of  Dr. Julie Brock
    • Responsible for two laboratory sections a week, laboratory curriculum and grading, sample collection , and one course lecture of Asteroidea
  • Marine Biology Technician/ Research Assistant, Summer 2005-Summer 2006,Hawai’i and Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit
    • Under supervision of Dr. Larry Basch
    • Monitoring invertebrate recruitment on coral reefs along the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii
    • Work included both field diving and laboratory microscope work    
  • Senior Thesis Research, Spring 2005, Brown University
    • Under supervision of Dr. David Rand
    • Investigated the origins of clinal variation in Fundulus heteroclitus 
    • Directly sequenced clinal allozyme gene of interest and mitochondrial control region. Completed population genetic analysis and analysis of sequence data.   
  • Teaching Assistant, Spring 2005, Brown University
    • Principles of Ecology (BI42) with Dr. Jon Witman 
      • Responsible for lecture material, leading review sessions,  and leading weekly discussion section
  • Teaching Assistant, Fall 2004, Brown University
    • Invertebrate Zoology (BI41) with Dr. Mark Bertness and Dr. Eric Sanford
      • Responsible for lecture material, leading review sessions, leading laboratory section
  • Hughes Fellowship Researcher/Intern, Summer 2004, Brown University
    • Under supervision of Dr. Jon Witman
      •  Research assistant to Andrew Altieri, PhD candidate, Brown University
    • Included extensive underwater (SCUBA) marine ecological fieldwork, experiment setup, data collection, experiment maintenance, experimental breakdown, and observations
    • Developed and implemented personal research project (Fall 2004) 
      • Investigated anthropogenic hypoxia as a selective force on Ilyanassa obsoleta
      • With Witman and Altieri, completed field surveys and sample collection
      • Worked with Dr. David Rand’s lab to develop mtDNA genotyping
  • Research Intern, Summer 2003, Darling Marine Center (DMC)
    • Under supervision of Dr. Mike Horst
    • Investigated the Effects of Pesticide (Methoprene) Exposure to Homarus americanus
    • Responsible for juvenile lobster collection (diving), aquaculture of lobsters (all life stages), setting up, running, and scoring experiments data entry, and a research presentation at DMC symposium

 Training and Certifications

  • University of Hawai’i Scientific Diver (AAUS Reciprocity; 2005)
    • NAUI Rescue Diver (2005)
    • TDI Nitrox Diver (2005)
    • PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (2003)
    • DAN Emergency Oxygen Administration (2005)
    • Red Cross First Aid (2005)
    • Red Cross Adult CPR (2005)