Well readers, the journey has come to an end. My experience at OIMB was very enjoyable. Being at the Coastal Trophic Lab (CTEL) was great. I still like doing field work but video analysis isn’t bad either. I thank Dr. Galloway for accepting me in his lab and for teaching me about echinoderms like sea urchins and sea stars. I’m glad I got to learn from him and others at OIMB.
This week was mainly focused on the poster session Friday. On Monday, I had a final session with Dr. Galloway in which we made the final changes on the poster. On Tuesday, we had a our final lunch with Maya and Nicole. We also had to submit our final draft of the poster and have a program debrief in the afternoon. In the debrief session we discussed what things that we liked and disliked about the program among other things. On Wednesday, we had lunch with Shon Schooler from south slough. He told us about the different places he worked and what caused him to come to Oregon. After having lunch with Shon Schooler, some of us took a trip to Hall Lake. Hall Lake was really beautiful, it’s basically a lake in the middle of dunes and forest. Sebastian, Gina, Colleen and I climbed to the top of the dunes, it was a journey but it was all worth it because we got to see everything from the top. From Hall Lake we went to Domino’s because we didn’t make it back in time for dinner. On Thursday, Sherlyn and I took a trip to a cave off of Bastendorff Beach. It was pretty cool cave and it led to a semi-secret beach which is only accessible through the cave. I’m not sure what the true backstory is on the cave but I heard it was made for a train to deliver construction material when the docks were being built. On Friday, we had our poster session which was great. A lot of people asked interesting questions and showed interest in my project. Initially, I was a bit nervous but after the first few minutes those nerves were gone.
0 Comments
Hello again readers!! We’re almost to the end of the program. It has be an adventurous journey for me and I’m glad I got to experience it. Since I finished the sea star count and the density count, I’ve just been working on my poster in the lab. Besides working on my poster, this week has been a bit quiet. On Tuesday we had our weekly lunch with Maya and Nicole which is always delightful. In the afternoon we had a professional development session that was catered towards leadership training. It held via zoom and was conducted by the Holden Centre on UO main campus. The session was informative although I thought more leadership skills would’ve been discussed.
On Wednesday we met with Ed Hughes who gave use pointers on things we should try to do as young scientist to capitalize on our experiences. On Wednesday we also had a zoom seminar with Melva Treviño Peña from the University of Rhode Island. It was titled, “Engaging with diverse communities: From “listening” to bring them into the research”. Unfortunately, I was unable to hear much due to technical difficulties on my end. After the seminar, we had our poster critique in the dining hall classroom. We got feedback from Richard, Maya, Nicole as well as our peers. I think we all got really good feedback and used the feedback to make the necessary changes to our posters for the final draft submission to Richard and Maya on Friday. We had a part two to the seminar on Thursday with Melva Treviño Peña. This seminar was titled “This is the way?: Carving our own paths in academia”. As the name suggest the seminar was focused on how we carve our way in academia. It was very interesting seminar and I gained a lot from it. On Friday, I sub mitted my final draft of the poster and by Saturday morning I got back my feedback and started working on making the changes. Saturday afternoon we visited the South Slough interns and had a crab boil at their house. It was great, Ytxzae handled the crab cooking and he did a great job. We used the European green crabs that were caught by the sought slough interns. Though they didn’t have as much crab meat as other crabs, they tasted good. Welcome back readers! It’s week 7 already, time truly flies. This week I’ve been doing the same thing for the whole week. I’ve been using ImageJ (a Java-based image processing program) to calculate the area of the still images. The density of the sea stars would be calculated after all the areas are calculated. Besides calculating the area of the still images some other activities happened this week. On Tuesday we had our weekly lunch with Maya and Nichole which is always delightful. In the afternoon we had a professional development session that was focused on how to get into grad school. We had faculty like Svetlana Maslakova and Craig Young speak about what they look for when choosing a grad student. We also had former REUs give their experiences and advice on how they applied to grad school and the challenges they faced. In my opinion, it was the best professional development session we had to date.
On Wednesday we had lunch with Ali Helms from South Slough. She told us about some of the conservational work she does, and she also spoke t us about what made her decide to join the south slough team. We also had a seminar in the boathouse with Dr. Ana Spalding from Oregon State University. She gave a talk entitled “Governing the ocean: (Human dimension of) MPAs as a tool for conservation” It was an interesting talk, and I learned a lot more about MPAs (Marine Protected Areas). Thursday and Friday were mainly focused on doing more work on calculating the area of the still images so I could use it to find the density of the sea stars so I could put that information in my poster draft. However, it was also focused on coming up with an activity to engage the public at the CMLC on Saturday. Since Catalina and I were working on calculating the density of organisms in in kelp forest we decided to collaborate on the CMLC activity. We showed the people that came up to us our initial activity, which was the urchin count. We explained to them about the urchins, and they also tried to count how many urchins were in some of the images. We then each branched off and told people about what we were working on currently and some of the results we gained. People were really interested in our projects and asked some really interesting questions. Wow, its week six already. This week was lab focused, I tried calculating the density of the seas stars from the Haida Gwaii benthic still images but it was a struggle. First, it was hard to see some of the lasers in the stills then I ran into some trouble with my data. I realized that I counted some of the images wrong so I did a complete recount on Monday. It was a very tedious task but well worth it. I stayed in the lab till 9 p.m. to ensure that recount wouldn’t hinder the progress of my work in days to come. After finishing the recount, I’ve just been using image J to calculate the area of each still image. This would then allow me to calculate the density of bat and leather star populations. It is a long process though, I have to find the area of 600 images. Some days fell very monotonous because I’m doing the same thing over and over. But I realized that having a podcast or music playing helps the process go faster.
Besides the recount, there were two other important activity this week. On Tuesday we had a professional development session with Trish Mace who is the director of The Charleston Marine Life Centre (CMLC). She gave us tips on how to engage our audience when we’re presenting and explaining our research project. Though this scientific research, that doesn’t mean we’ll only be speaking to scientist about our project. Our audience may vary and we have to find ways to engage everyone. The session was very helpful and I gained a lot of information from it. On Wednesday we had lunch with Craig Young, who is the director of OIMB. He shared with us some of experiences, including one when there was a malfunction in a submarine he was in which led to them sinking. Eventually they got to fill the hull with enough air which caused the submarine to float to the surface. Both directors were interesting in their own way and shared valuable information. Hello once more, readers! It was a laid-back week this week. This week's main task was done on Tuesday. We had to present our research project for 7 minutes, and then there was a 3-minute period for questions. This served as good preparation for our week nine poster presentation. We all received feedback on the presentation, so we all have an idea of what should be added to and left out of our poster. The day in the lab on Wednesday was also interesting. I had the opportunity to help Dr. Galloway open sea urchins and take the gonads out. Before being opened, the urchins were weighed and measured. The gonads were weighed after being opened, and a note was made about their color. Each urchin had two gonads removed; one was weighed, and the other was placed in a test tube for additional analysis. The project's primary objective is to compare how many calories the gonads produce. To measure the number of calories produced by each gonad, the test tube specimens were dried and put in a bomb calorimeter. Using the bomb calorimeter requires patience as it is a bit tedious. For the rest of the week, I’ve just been working on my research project.
Even though last week Saturday was a part of the previous week, I still felt the need to mention it this week. Sherlyn and I decided to watch Thor Love and Thunder at the theater in Coos Bay on Saturday. It was a good idea, but it came with its complications. Things were alright at first; we were merely strolling through the Ross and other stores in the Pony Village mall to look at merchandise. When it came time to leave for the movies, I discovered that I was unable to locate my wallet. I looked everywhere with Sherlyn, and we couldn't find it. Eventually, I had to relieve Sherlyn of her searching duties because I wanted her to enjoy the movie. I remained behind to search for the wallet, but I was still unsuccessful. We then called a cab, but it didn't arrive for over two hours. It turns out that our first taxi driver had to take the cab to the body shop after getting into a small collision. So even though the other days were laid back, Saturday was a little unusual. I figured I should merely relate the experience to demonstrate that despite the challenges we all encounter, life must go on. Friday 15th July, 2022 brings week 4 to an end. What better way to end it than going to Qochyax Island. We left pretty early to catch the low tide but it was well worth it. We had a slight hike to actually see the organisms from the low tide but it was amazing. I saw many echinoderms such as piaster sea stars and purple urchins. There were also many barnacles and green anemones. Listing all the organisms seen on the adventure would be very tedious but it was a great experience. Although Friday, was the most exciting day of the week, that doesn't mean the other days weren't fascinating too. On Monday I finished counting the sea stars in the still images for my research project. Before sending my proposal to my mentor, I also made the last adjustments. Dr. Galloway provided some excellent suggestions for the proposal. On Tuesday, we also had a meeting to discuss some of the suggestions made. I believe it was really beneficial and enabled me to provide Maya & Richard, who were evaluating the proposals, a better draft. Additionally, the REUs enjoyed their usual enjoyable weekly lunch with Maya and Nichole. Tuesday's professional development workshop was indeed the main high point of Tuesday. In this session, we learnt how to effectively create a strong presentation and a strong poster. As someone who has never made a poster before, this session was much needed. I've got a plan for my poster now that I've attended the poster session. Wednesday was a fascinating day as well. First, Dr. Jim Carlton, an evolutionary biogeographer and marine ecologist, joined us for lunch. I regret arriving late because I didn't get to hear everything he said. He spoke to us about invasive species and the opportunities he had as a marine ecologist. Later that day we day, OIMB had a public seminar which was presented by Dr. Jim Carlton. The seminar was entitled, “The Age of Invasions Meets the Age of Plastics: How Tsunamis, Storms, Megarafting, Coastal Development, and Climate Change May All be Related.” Dr. Carlton discussed the effects of the March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in the session. In the years that followed the tsunami, invasive species increased dramatically in the US and other pacific regions. Due to wind and ocean currents, tsunami debris made it all the way to the United States and contained a wide variety of species from Tokyo and other central pacific regions. It would take me many pages to disclose all the knowledge I gained from this session but just know I really enjoyed it. What better way to start the week off than with a picnic in honor of the Fourth of July? The cooks typically perform well, but on that particular day, they excelled. Shout out to everyone who had some involvement in putting together the picnic. It was well-planned and a lot of fun. OIMB's staff, instructors, and students all seem to be close knit and act as a family. I was surprised to see that they decided to congregate, even if it was only for a short while, on a holiday. Most individuals would prefer to spend that day with their family, but OIMB seems like a family, so it makes sense. Tuesday was even more enjoyable since I had the opportunity to help Professor Richard Emlet collect sand dollars aboard a boat not too far off shore. It was a highly fascinating encounter that provided new information about marine biology. I was given the chance to pilot the boat back to the docks after collecting the sand dollars. Even though I've taken several boat rides, I've never been in charge of the steering wheel. It was a wonderful event that I will never forget. The rush was unreal for me because I have aspirations of owning my own boat. Compared to the first two days of the week, the rest was very normal. Dr. Aaron Galloway attended lunch with the REUs on Wednesday. Everyone was quite intrigued about his experiences as a marine ecologist and was really interested in what he had to say. Being mentored by someone so fascinating made me incredibly proud. On Wednesday at 4 PM, we had a seminar as well. Dr. Susanne Brander, who led it, gave an excellent lecture on microplastics. Although I worked on projects involving microplastics, I was unaware of all the other factors involved. Microplastics are extremely hazardous, and if we can't find a way to stop them or at least lessen their effects, it could have negative implications in the future. Thursday was a fairly relaxed day, and I spent the majority of it in the library researching. I made the decision to visit the gym after spending so much time in the library. I had a wonderful workout, and I then played some basketball. Friday concluded week three and I spent most of the day in the lab. The week was both entertaining and productive. Greetings, readers! I was still counting sea urchins from last week's assignment when this week began, but I finished on Tuesday. Counting 600 still images of urchins is no easy task but I believe it was worthwhile. My ability to recognize those sea urchin species has significantly improved.
I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do for my research project. Initially, I had intentions to involve sea urchins in my research as they can be beneficial and harmful in certain ecosystems. However, the ecosystem I was planning to research the sea urchins was kelp forest I which they are very harmful. If there are no predators to keep their numbers in check, sea urchins, which consume macroalgae like giant kelp, might completely destroy kelp forests and stop them from expanding. An abundant kelp colony could consequently become an urchin barren, often known as an oceanic desert. I had planned to study sea urchin predators and how much they benefit the kelp forest, but after speaking with Dr. Galloway, we decided to take a different path due to the scarcity of footage of those predators. We discussed and I would be working with the sea stars in those kelp forest. I would be comparing sizes, counting species, and doing additional research on sea stars. Although not all the specifics are finalized, I believe it's a decent beginning. I began studying the various species and how to recognize them. A book by Dr. Galloway that aids in species identification was also given to me. In addition to my research project, we had a professional development session that was really beneficial because it showed us the advantages of having a strong CV and resume as well as how to create one. On Wednesday, we also had lunch with Katlyn Haven, an ODFW fish biologist. She talked to us about her experiences, her motivation for attending graduate school, and other things. Finally, on Friday, some of the REU interns went tide pooling; but, because I slept in too late, I was unable to accompany them. There are usually a lot of interesting things to view when tide pooling, so hopefully I get to go with them the next time. Hello again, readers. The first week at OIMB was really interesting. I drove to OIMB and tried to capitalize on that fact by carrying all the items I had in my dorm. The room was smaller than my prior accommodation, so that wasn't the best move. Fortunately, I managed to pack everything away, and despite the different sizes of the rooms, everything fit rather well. Even my mini-fridge and TV managed to fit well with all of my belongings. After move in day things just kept getting better and better. I got to meet the other REU interns and though we come from other places we just seem to click even at such an early stage.
We had a great time meeting our mentors during the potluck we had on Monday. Although we were meeting them officially on Tuesday, it was good to get to know them in a more casual setting. Dr. Aaron Galloway, who is my mentor, is fantastic. He began by assigning Catalina and I an activity that required us to acquire new abilities in order to complete it. We had to learn how to use ImageJ, an image-processing application that among other things lets you measure the size of creatures in pictures. This makes it much simpler to analyze still images from dive footage. Although we didn't use it this week to count the many types of sea urchins in dive video still images, it might be useful in the near future. While counting the sea urchins in the still pictures I learned about new species such as Red urchins (Mesocentrotus franciscanus), Green urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) and Purple urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). Even if their colors are the basis for their names, identifying them shouldn't just be based on color. It is important to consider the size of their test (body) as well as the shape, arrangement, and length of their spikes. It can be misleading at times when red urchins take on a purplish appearance, however the length and shape of the spikes give it a different appearance from true purple urchins. There are variations in green urchin color as well; some of them may appear to be white-ish. These factors, in my opinion, make these organisms fascinating, and I am eager to collaborate with Dr. Galloway again. I think that this internship will shine some light on the options I would have if I pursue a career in marine biology as I'm currently unsure of what I want to do. |
AuthorGreetings, blog readers! My name is J'mie Lawrence and I'm from the Caribbean island of Grenada. I've spent the last year at SWOCC (Southwestern Oregon Community College). My current objective is to earn a transfer degree so that I can enroll in a four-year university to study marine biology. Being able to do marine research with Dr. Aaron Galloway at OIMB is incredibly exciting for me because I've always had a passion for marine biology. Archives
August 2022
Categories |
Proudly powered by Weebly