Elasmobranch Field Research

Field School, Miami FL

August-December 2022

  • Tied knots such as clove hitch, bowline, and cleat hitch
  • Assisted in removing bow and stern lines from dock
  • Assisted in cleaning boat after field day
  • Assembled, deployed, and reeled in longline and drumline fishing gear
  • Cut fish and baited hooks
  • Snorkeled to look for yellow spotted stingrays
  • Participated in elasmobranch’s work-up
    • Held down sharks tail to allow for data collection
    • Placed pump in sharks’ mouth if needed
    • Tagged sharks by placing tag in dorsal fin
    • Measured sharks using measuring tape
    • Collected elasmobranch samples such as blood, muscle, fin, and parasites
    • Wrote down data and labeled sample tubes
  • Processed blood to determine lactate levels

Horseshoe Crab Watch

Florida Fish and Wildlife, Miami, FL

September 2022- April 2023

  • Walked the beach to search for horseshoe crabs
    • Tagged horseshoe crabs
    • Measured horseshoe crabs
    • Weighed horseshoe crabs
    • Determined sex of horseshoe crabs
    • Aged horseshoe crabs
    • Took pictures of horseshoe crabs
    • Wrote down data

Seal and Sea turtle Rehabilitation

NY Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY

June- August 2022

  • Participated in animal physicals
    • Prepared paperwork for bloodwork
    • Collected weight by placing animal on scale
    • Took measurements of sea turtle shells using a caliper to monitor growth
    • Took photos and uploaded them to the computer
    • Cleaned shell, checked for injuries, applied manuka honey to wounds
    • Put blood in container to be received for testing
  • Took water quality measurements of tanks
  • Prepared animal diets, fed them, and disinfected the kitchen
  • Assisted in animal restraint for veterinarian check-ups
  • Monitored unresponsive sea turtle after IV injection
  • Cleaned and disinfected animal enrichment
  • Did tank checks every morning and evening to ensure tanks were running appropriately
  • Responded to stranded common dolphin call
    • Restocked box truck with appropriate supplies
    • Took breath counts of dolphin
    • Assisted placing and carrying dolphin in stretcher
    • Assisted in euthanasia and sample collection of dolphin
  • Participated in seal and sea turtle releases
    • Collected public donations
    • Assisted in flipper tagging animals for release
    • Assisted in carrying animal down to the beach
    • Held herding board for seals to ensure public safety
    • Took pictures of animals being released
  • Ran the front desk/shop and answered all public questions
  • Gave a tour to the public of the facility

Homer Wildlife Response Volunteer and Sea Otter Intern

Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, AK; US Fish and Wildlife Service, Homer, AK

September 2021-April 2022

  • Responded to both live and dead stranding reports of marine mammals
  • Took level A measurements of dead marine mammals
  • Took rectal swabs and collected scat samples of dead sea otters
  • Took skin samples of a dead harbor seal, humpback whale, and beluga
  • Observed behavior of live, stranded sea otters
  • Collected carcasses to be shipped, frozen, or discarded of
  • Dissected sea otter to obtain bones
  • Created posters, trifolds, and flyers for Marine Mammal Forum

In the news

MMPA Permit MA-041309-5

Beluga Monitoring

Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership (AKBMP), Cook Inlet, AK

September 2021-April 2022

  • Participated in 2-hour beluga monitoring sessions for AKBMP
  • Completed data sheets on beluga sightings for the AKBMP
  • Photographed belugas for photo identification work
  • Recorded behavior of belugas for AKBMP
  • Took eDNA samples using Kemmerer and filtered in lab
  • Used refractometer, pH meter, and temperature probe to analyze water samples

In the news

Marine Mammal Boat Observer

Kachemak Bay, Homer, AK

September 2021-April 2022

  • Used binoculars to find and count marine mammals
  • Photographed marine mammals for identification and research
  • Marked locations of marine mammals and path of the boat using GPS
  • Deployed a hydrophone to obtain cetacean audio
  • Wrote down observations in data log
  • Engaged in marine mammal line transect surveys while on the boat

Fieldwork

Kenai Peninsula College, Homer, AK

October 2021-April 2022

  • Tracked moose collars using radio telemetry techniques
  • Trimmed willow trees for regrowth for moose feeding
  • Collected plankton for research using plankton tow
  • Attended a harbor porpoise necropsy
  • Collected water samples and performed water quality tests
  • Participated in a sea duck survey and shorebird monitoring by counting, photographing, and identifying bird species
  • Engaged in intertidal line transect surveys
  • Participated in razor clam survey by collecting clams that floated to the surface with Alaska Department of Fish and Game

In the news

Sea Star Wasting Research Project

Kenai Peninsula College, Homer, AK

January-April 2022

  • Swabbed sea stars to growth bacteria on agar plate
  • Performed gram stains on bacteria and identified them under a microscope
  • Tested bacteria for antibiotic resistance using antibiotic disk
  • Presented research in a poster format at an undergraduate symposium

Cook Inlet Beluga Necropsy

National Marine Fisheries Service, Anchor Point, AK

  • Collected beluga organ samples
  • Inserted and removed blades on scalpels
  • Labeled test tubes and whirl bags for lab work
  • Photographed and cataloged injuries to the beluga

Stejneger's Beaked Whale Publication Work

Kenai Peninsula College, Homer, AK

September-December 2021

  • Excavated whale bones
  • Buried whale flippers and shoulders to be dug up in a year
  • Cleaned whale bones using a hose and soap
  • Photographed and 3D scanned whale bones
  • Measured and weighed whale bones
  • Created a publication book for research scientists

Skeletal Articulation

Kenai Peninsula College, Homer, AK

August-September 2021

  • Arranged marine mammal bones in correct orientation
  • Articulated Stellar sea lion right flipper and a harbor porpoise skeleton
  • Drilled and glued harbor porpoise and Steller sea lion bones

Humpback Identification Intern

Winged Whale Research, Homer, AK

August-December 2021

  • Updated humpback whale identification catalog
  • Used catalog to photo ID humpbacks in Kachemak Bay
  • Drove boat to obtain whale fluke photos
  • Created map of humpback sightings
  • Learned how to tie clove, hitch, and cleat hitch knots
  • Removed mast and secured boat to trailer

In the news

Seal Identification Work

Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, West Sayville, NY

February-March2020

  • Photographed individual seals with a camera to look for individual markings
  • Added photos to public database to monitor individual harbor seals
  • Observed and recorded seal behavior

Fish Identification Work

Stony Brook University, Long Island Sound, NY

September-December 2019

  • Identified and drew fish species with use of dichotomous key to understand differences among species and determine invasive species
  • Dissected fish species and identified major organs and structures to learn about the anatomy of fish and the differences between species

Plankton Identification Research

Stony Brook University, Southampton, NY

September-December 2019

  • Identified plankton species using microscopic techniques and dichotomous key to determine species distribution and invasive species
  • Captured photographs of plankton species to create a species catalog
  • Kept records of each individual to determine the number of plankton in each sample
  • Used Sechi disk to measure water turbidity

Computer Programs: Excel | Google sheets | Google Drive | Google Maps | PowerPoint | RStudio | Audacity | QGIS | Zoom | MATLAB

 

Laboratory skills: Quality assurance, Data analysis

 

Trainings: Wildlife Safety training (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) | Live and Dead Marine Mammal Stranding Training (Alaska SeaLife Center) | Zoonosis (Alaska SeaLife Center) | Beluga Monitoring Training (Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership) | Shorebird Monitoring (Kachemak Bay Birders) | Deckhand skills (University of Alaska, Anchorage) | IACUC Training (University of Miami) | SDI Open Water Scuba Certification (Good Life Divers) | Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch Volunteer Training (Florida Fish and Wildlife)

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