an exciting and busy summer begins

I am fortunate to have some phenomenal people and some fascinating research going on in my lab this summer. My students are at all stages of their academic careers - from Danielle C., who is at the "analysis and writing" stage of her thesis on spatial subsidies at the land-sea interface, to Sergio, a rising high school scholar who will be working with me on figuring out more about Fundulus parvipinnis, ​and all levels in between - Anai, working with the other (smarter) Dr. Talley, Theresa, looking at current bivalve populations compared to historical datasets; Liz, a brand new NSF GRF who is just scoping out her research this summer; Becky, immersed in juggling data entry and a full time job as she works towards finishing her thesis; Larisa, a University of New Mexico undergrad on a MARC fellowship, studying surface nutrients in relation to island locations and bird use in Bahía de los Angeles; and a couple of University of San Diego Undergrads, Alex, studying the distribution of an invasive clam in Mission Bay, and Polly, who will be working with Smithsonian Environmental Research Center scientists on their fouling community surveys based out of my lab this summer. 

​So, it promises to be a hectic, amazing summer - more info on all of these projects as we go forward!

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another fascinating look at women in science

This study takes a really interesting tactic - comparing women in academia (where there is a huge amount of time involved in obtaining the degree/qualifications) with women in medicine (which requires a similar amount of time). Very interesting to see the differences both across those fields and between Canada and the U.S.

The conclusions the authors make, however, seem a little out of step with the rest of the study.

photo:  InVICKtion @flickr
photo:  InVICKtion @flickr

serif vs sans in presentations

I have virtually NO talent for creating aesthetically pleasing designs in presentations, posters, clothes, furnishing....well, anything, I guess. But I always thought that there were rigid rules based on sound science that dictated fonts for slides. 

Now, based on THIS, I wonder.

photo credit: wikipedia

photo credit: wikipedia

does education help us live longer?

Well....maybe. Some of us.

This study found no racial differences in leukocyte telomere length (which is associated with longevity) until they factored in education. Consistent with previous studies, Blacks had longer telomeres than Whites. An examination of the interaction of race and education showed that Blacks with more than a high school education had significantly longer telomeres than any other group (Blacks with less than high school education and Whites with any level of education). 

Really fascinating study.

happy holidays!

many, many blessings in my life - wonderful wife, smart, funny, thoughtful daughter, great friends, perfect job, and a supportive network of colleagues and family.

SO instead of going on and on - some pictures:

catching up!

so, it has been a while. The quick rundown is:

I was at the (always phenomenal) Western Society of Naturalists meeting in Seaside, CA, presenting a poster on spatial subsidy with collaborators and students from University of San Diego and Ocean Discovery Institute. Great meeting and a great chance to catch up with friends.

We have had more great field trips with the students in Biological Oceanography - we went to the rocky intertidal, where we saw lobsters, abalone, octopuses, and lots more, while examining the examples of gradients and patchiness there.

We also got to go and help the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve sample fishes in a recently-restored salt marsh in the South Bay, and compare those samples to an adjacent natural marsh.

More updates coming up!

Wetland Field Trip

We had a great field trip in our Biological Oceanography course yesterday out to the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TR NERR), right on the US/Mexico border.​

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​Declared a "wetland of international importance" by the International RAMSAR convention in 2005, the TR NERR is the largest intact wetland in southern California. As they note on their website:

The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve preserves, protects, and manages the natural and cultural resources of the Tijuana River Estuary by focusing on research and education with compatible recreation and resource use. The Reserve encompasses beach, dune, mudflat, salt marsh, riparian, coastal sage scrub, and upland habitats surrounded by the growing cities of Tijuana, Imperial Beach, and San Diego. Critical issues confronted by the Reserve include habitat conservation and restoration, endangered species management, management of the wastewater from Mexico, sediment management, and the integration of recreation

​We were shown around the border area (up to the fence itself) by Dr. Jeff Crooks, Research Coordinator for the reserve. Jeff explained some of the social, environmental, and health challenges facing the estuary and the border region, and how the reserve is working, on both sides of the border, to improve conditions for Mexican and US citizens alike. 

​We also got to get an up-close look at the "model marsh", a fascinating created wetland built under the direction of Dr. Joy Zedler, founder of the Pacific Estuarine Research Laboratory. The model marsh was built to help us learn more about how to most effectively create and restore salt marshes. This is particularly important here in CA, where over 90% of our historic wetlands have been lost!. It was a great opportunity to see an example of science that is both "basic" (answering essential questions about how the world works) and "applied" (helping to solve real-world problems). 

Biological Oceanography Sandy Shores Field Trip

Had a ridiculously good field trip to the Scripps Coastal Reserve today with my section from MARS 451 (Bio Oceans). We took to the shores, notebooks in hand, to examine some of the environmental gradients faced by sandy shore organisms; to look for examples of patchiness (and mechanisms producing it); and to try and identify major players in the sandy beach community. ​

​We could not have had better weather or a more inquisitive, engaged group of undergrads and grad students. We found mole crabs, Donax, polychaetes, Pismo clams, amphipods, kelp holdfasts - the list goes on and on - so much for the idea of a depauperate community. We also ran into some folks from the Dayton Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, surveying the effect of trampling on the rocky intertidal just to the south of our study site. 

​Anyway, being out in such a beautiful place, with such a great group of students, almost makes me feel guilty calling this my "job"!

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

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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.