Minorities in the Aquatic Sciences

I am a graduate of San Francisco State University with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Marine Biology. I graduated May of 2005. Much of my experience and expertise is in the area of ecology of the San Francisco Bay Estuary, the largest estuary of the west coast.

I am currently a Marine Science Instructor at the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, California. The Marine Science Institute is a non-profit organization geared towards outdoor education and stewardship of the San Francisco Bay Estuary. I teach various Marine Science topics to students K-12 and college aboard a 90-foot research vessel, the R/V Robert G. Brownlee. Topics include plankton, hydrology, ichthyology and benthic ecology. During my 4 years with the institute I have been able to obtain experience as a crew member aboard the vessel and experience in handling of sharks and rays, fish and invertebrate identification and sampling equipment and techniques.

I also have a year of experience as a field researcher with the San Rafael-Richmond Bridge Harbor Seal Survey. As a field researcher I observed and recorded data on Harbor Seals at a haul out site below the bridge during retrofitting. Data on sex, population counts and disturbances was sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service in accordance to the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Future Plans are to enter into a graduate program and obtain a Master's Degree in the field of Marine Biology. I have interests in researching benthic ecology and relationships of various coastal invertebrates and their impact on their habitats. However I am open to many various research topics in marine ecology

I am always looking to gain more experience in the field and the laboratory and welcome the opportunity to work with researchers, professors and graduate students on current research topics in marine science.