first usd sacnas taquiza social was a blast

Last weekend we had our first usd sacnas meeting of the year out in the beautiful Strata Plaza behind the Shiley Center for Science and Technology. ​It was a great time - we got to meet interested (and interesting) students, enjoy fresh, authentic tacos, and listen to some professional mariachi music, compliments of Mariachi Juvenil de San Diego and Serafin Paredes from the University of San Diego Music Department. I should point out that the mariachis were as fun to talk to as their were to listen to! 

For those who missed it, there will be more events this semester - please check out usdsacnas.org on occasion for updates.​

Long Beach Invasion

​ok, not as dramatic as this maybe - photo from http://edkoehlerdesigns.com

​ok, not as dramatic as this maybe - photo from http://edkoehlerdesigns.com

On September 27 & 28, the California Estuarine Research Society (CAERS) held its 10th annual conference, hosted at CSU Long Beach by Dr. Christine Whitcraft. This marked the highest attendance and representation by University of San Diego ever at a CAERS conference, with more than 15% of all presentations being given by University of San Diego faculty, students, or affiliates, including one of the keynote addresses on ocean acidification by our own Dr. Nathalie Reyns. 

It has been great to see the increase in participation of University of San Diego at the California Estuarine Research Society - we were represented by only one talk between 2003-2007,  and that has grown to 15% of the talks and a plurality (almost 20%) of the attendees in 2012. CAERS always has  a fascinating series of talks and posters, and is a mustn't-miss event for wetland scientists, students, and managers in California and Baja California!

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the USD Sproul cruise, Sep 22/23, 2012

For the 13th year in a row, the Marine Science & Environmental Studies Department used Scripps Institution of Oceanography's R.V. Sproul as a research vessel from which to launch our own studies of the coastal ocean off of Point Loma. ​This year (as usual) we were joined by a small contingent of colleagues from Indiana State University (studying foraminifera), and students from our Biological Oceanography and Geological Oceanography courses. 

We also had the pleasure of hosting several students from the Chemistry department, who are using the samples to study human impacts in the water column and the sediment of nearshore waters. ​

And for the fourth year in a row, we were accompanied by a group from the local science education non-profit, Ocean Discovery Institute. This participation was made possible through the generous support of the National Science Foundation's Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences program, and has helped us allow participation of underrepresented students in authentic research, side by side with scientists, undergraduate, and graduate students from the University of San Diego.​

Now our students are busy analyzing these samples, learning more about the scientific process, oceanography, and local waters. It was an amazing 24 hours!​

this kid can become a scientist

2012-09-12 17.33.15.jpg

but it turns out she will have some obstacles to face, and one of them will be her professors. ​

In a depressing study published in PNAS, researchers provided scientists from research-oriented universities with one of two sets of otherwise-identical application materials for a lab tech position - one group received a set with a female name, the other a male name. ​

​Faculty rated the male student as more competent and more "hireable", and suggested higher starting salaries for the male applicants as well. Worse (and exacerbating the situation), faculty also were more likely to want to mentor the male student than the female one.

​Shockingly, this result was independent of the gender of the faculty member - women scientists were showing the same gender bias as men. 

Reading the paper, it is clear that this bias is subtle and likely not recognized by those exhibiting it. While we should all be deeply troubled by these data, my interpretation of the article is that these biases are in all likelihood unintentional and subconscious. If we can make ourselves really pay attention to our interactions with women in science, maybe we can start to change the culture.

Maybe that little kid will have an easier time becoming a scientist, if that's what she chooses.

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The first step, it seems, is recognizing that you have a problem. 

my book chapter is finally out

Well, I should say "our book chapter" - I was lucky enough to work with Dr. Kenneth Raposa, who is smart, funny, and a great wetland ecologist (with good taste in cocktails).​

The whole volume is great for those interested in tidal marsh management and restoration.​

Mr Wizard is like Mr Rogers

only mean.​

Man of science. Scourge of nescience. Brought to you by @DianeBullock and @mcs212. Check out our latest video, Cosby Watches Cosby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czhjJdGa8ug Mr. Wizard's World is a copyright and trademark of MTV/Viacom and Mr. Wizard Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit http://mrwizardstudios.com for DVDs, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more.

Open Access Journals

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I am hardly on the cutting-edge of recognizing the increasing importance of open access to scientific endeavors, nor am I the most visible/vocal (e.g., see posts by the always-interesting Jarrett Byrnes). That said, I am continuing to be convinced that, despite some of my colleagues' misgivings about PLoS One and the like, this is a solid and respectable venue in which to publish. The fact that talented, accomplished, well-published scientists are publishing there;  Impact Factors (while a very imperfect metric) are pretty high; and that some 80+% of the papers published in PLoS One in 2010 have been cited (as of Spring 2012) - well, this is an outlet that it is foolish to ignore.

Check out this interesting ​post (and accompanying discussion) on the topic.

strangely quiet around here

never fear - I will get back to the occasional post, but we have become new homeowners, and currently - well, our bathroom looks like this: 

 

so we are occupied trying to make the place livable, as well as research and we each have a lot of undergrads in the lab this summer!

 

Will get back to posting bits of science trivia soon!

 

drew

 

blogtastic - check out these cool updates

lots of entries to catch up on - Hayley has a couple of great entries about southern CA species, the CA Horn Snail and “dead man’s fingers”. Check out http://hayley144.wordpress.com/

And Brian did a nice writeup on Cryptomya at http://bjuhl472.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/delving-deep-for-the-mysteries-of-the-cryptic-cryptomya-californica-14/

While Sam did a nice writeup on the bean clam at http://sammsanfran.wordpress.com/ , Morgan was busy covering Melampus and Zostera, and Kevin, not to be outdone, took to the books to learn all he could about a little-known bivalve http://kstolzenbach88.wordpress.com/

 photo credit stone bird via flickr