Alumni
Jamie Yin (MS Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Sciences, 2019)
Thesis Title: The effect of irradiance on estuarine phytoplankton productivity and nitrogen uptake
Jamie joined the Wilkerson/Dugdale lab in 2017 as part of the RIPTIDES trainee program. She studied how nutrient dynamics and light affect phytoplankton growth in the Northern San Francisco Estuary (SFE). Her thesis research is focused on how phytoplankton in the estuary take up carbon and nitrogen under different light conditions. Phytoplankton abundances in the SFE have been low since the 1980s and are thought to be light limited. This project is advancing our knowledge of coastal ecosystems by addressing a fundamental ecological question that is rarely studied—how access to nutrients for primary producers in pelagic food webs may be limited by light availability.
Prior to graduate school Jamie attended the University of California, Santa Cruz and graduated with a B.S. in Marine Biology in 2015. Since then she worked as a research assistant in Antarctica studying zooplankton, as a field technician studying black and grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest, and built a database for the population trends of sharks and rays.
Thesis Title: The effect of irradiance on estuarine phytoplankton productivity and nitrogen uptake
Jamie joined the Wilkerson/Dugdale lab in 2017 as part of the RIPTIDES trainee program. She studied how nutrient dynamics and light affect phytoplankton growth in the Northern San Francisco Estuary (SFE). Her thesis research is focused on how phytoplankton in the estuary take up carbon and nitrogen under different light conditions. Phytoplankton abundances in the SFE have been low since the 1980s and are thought to be light limited. This project is advancing our knowledge of coastal ecosystems by addressing a fundamental ecological question that is rarely studied—how access to nutrients for primary producers in pelagic food webs may be limited by light availability.
Prior to graduate school Jamie attended the University of California, Santa Cruz and graduated with a B.S. in Marine Biology in 2015. Since then she worked as a research assistant in Antarctica studying zooplankton, as a field technician studying black and grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest, and built a database for the population trends of sharks and rays.
Jessica Wilson (MS Biology, 2018)
Thesis Title: Spatial and Temporal Changes in Phytoplankton Communities in Drake’s Estero, a Low-Inflow Estuary
Jessica joined our lab in 2016 and graduated in 2018. She is currently working as a lab technician in the Wilkerson/Dugdale lab.
Thesis Title: Spatial and Temporal Changes in Phytoplankton Communities in Drake’s Estero, a Low-Inflow Estuary
Jessica joined our lab in 2016 and graduated in 2018. She is currently working as a lab technician in the Wilkerson/Dugdale lab.
Tricia Lee (MS Marine Biology, 2016)
Thesis Title: Benthic Microorganisms and Processes in an Urbanized, Restoring Estuary
My name is Tricia Lee and I joined the Wilkerdale Lab in Fall 2013. I am broadly interested in aquatic biogeochemical fluxes and the biotic forces on these fluxes. My thesis work ranges throughout the San Francisco Estuary and is centered around benthic microbial community composition (including bacteria, archaea and microalgae) and relating these microbes to nutrient fluxes and availability. You can read more about my work here: http://plankterfanatic.weebly.com/
Currently working as an Environmental Scientist at California Department of Public Health
Thesis Title: Benthic Microorganisms and Processes in an Urbanized, Restoring Estuary
My name is Tricia Lee and I joined the Wilkerdale Lab in Fall 2013. I am broadly interested in aquatic biogeochemical fluxes and the biotic forces on these fluxes. My thesis work ranges throughout the San Francisco Estuary and is centered around benthic microbial community composition (including bacteria, archaea and microalgae) and relating these microbes to nutrient fluxes and availability. You can read more about my work here: http://plankterfanatic.weebly.com/
Currently working as an Environmental Scientist at California Department of Public Health
Shannon Strong (MS Marine Biology, 2015)
Thesis Title: Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen and Chlorophyll-a at a Restored Site in Suisun Marsh
Thesis Title: Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen and Chlorophyll-a at a Restored Site in Suisun Marsh
Nicole Travis (MS Marine Biology, 2015)
Thesis Title: Phytoplankton communities in the wastewater plume of the lower Sacramento River
I joined the Wilkerson/Dugdale Lab in the fall of 2012 to work on a Masters degree in Marine Biology. I am interested in algal physiology and ecology, and the nutrient controls that drive primary production patterns within an ecosystem. My thesis project aimed to understand the influence of high-ammonium wastewater on phytoplankton community structure in the San Francisco Estuary, specifically the lower Sacramento River. I also worked with fluorescence technology to see how phytoplankton physiology responds to varying nitrogen regimes.
I am currently a PhD student in Earth Systems Science at Stanford University
webpage
Thesis Title: Phytoplankton communities in the wastewater plume of the lower Sacramento River
I joined the Wilkerson/Dugdale Lab in the fall of 2012 to work on a Masters degree in Marine Biology. I am interested in algal physiology and ecology, and the nutrient controls that drive primary production patterns within an ecosystem. My thesis project aimed to understand the influence of high-ammonium wastewater on phytoplankton community structure in the San Francisco Estuary, specifically the lower Sacramento River. I also worked with fluorescence technology to see how phytoplankton physiology responds to varying nitrogen regimes.
I am currently a PhD student in Earth Systems Science at Stanford University
webpage
Allison Johnson (MS Marine Biology, 2015)
Thesis Title:
Thesis Title:
Jamie Lee (MS Marine Biology, 2014)
Thesis Title: Kinetics and inhibition of nitrogen uptake by Microcystis aeruginosa: results from cultures and the San Francisco Delta
I received my B.S. in Biology at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York. As part of my Master's thesis, I worked with a project funded by the Delta Science Program studying the abiotic factors that may be influencing blooms of the harmful cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa in the San Francisco Delta. Specifically, my research interests are investigating the nutrient uptake kinetics of M. aeruginosa, which will give insight on its nutrient preferences and may aid in developing preventative measures to control the occurrence of its blooms, as well as help predict when and where these blooms may occur.
Thesis Title: Kinetics and inhibition of nitrogen uptake by Microcystis aeruginosa: results from cultures and the San Francisco Delta
I received my B.S. in Biology at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York. As part of my Master's thesis, I worked with a project funded by the Delta Science Program studying the abiotic factors that may be influencing blooms of the harmful cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa in the San Francisco Delta. Specifically, my research interests are investigating the nutrient uptake kinetics of M. aeruginosa, which will give insight on its nutrient preferences and may aid in developing preventative measures to control the occurrence of its blooms, as well as help predict when and where these blooms may occur.
Christina Buck (MS 2012)
Thesis Title: The Influence of Coastal Nutrients on Phytoplankton Productivity in Drakes Estero, California
My master's research in the Wilkerdale Lab explored the phytoplankton community responses to nutrient regimes (with emphasis on nitrogen) within Drakes Estero at Point Reyes National Seashore. The interplay between local physics and variation in the supply of different forms of nitrogen, both from natural and anthropogenic sources are hypothesized to lead to shifts in primary production and phytoplankton species composition (including the promotion of harmful algal bloom species) seasonally.
Thesis Title: The Influence of Coastal Nutrients on Phytoplankton Productivity in Drakes Estero, California
My master's research in the Wilkerdale Lab explored the phytoplankton community responses to nutrient regimes (with emphasis on nitrogen) within Drakes Estero at Point Reyes National Seashore. The interplay between local physics and variation in the supply of different forms of nitrogen, both from natural and anthropogenic sources are hypothesized to lead to shifts in primary production and phytoplankton species composition (including the promotion of harmful algal bloom species) seasonally.
Erica (Kress) Nejad (MS 2012)
Thesis Title: Nutrient Loading Effects on Phytoplankton Community Structure and Biomass in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers.
I got my B.S. in Aquatic Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. I joined the Dugdale-Wilkerson lab in the fall of 2009 and studied nutrient and phytoplankton interactions in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. I’m interested in the effects of sewage treatment plant effluent on phytoplankton community structure and abundance.
I currently work for the USGS at Menlo Park.
Thesis Title: Nutrient Loading Effects on Phytoplankton Community Structure and Biomass in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers.
I got my B.S. in Aquatic Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. I joined the Dugdale-Wilkerson lab in the fall of 2009 and studied nutrient and phytoplankton interactions in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. I’m interested in the effects of sewage treatment plant effluent on phytoplankton community structure and abundance.
I currently work for the USGS at Menlo Park.
Sarah Blaser (MS Marine Biology, 2011)
Thesis Title: The Effect of Herbicide Additions on Phytoplankton in the San Francisco Estuary.
I am currently working as a research technician in the Wilkerson/Dugdale Lab.
Thesis Title: The Effect of Herbicide Additions on Phytoplankton in the San Francisco Estuary.
I am currently working as a research technician in the Wilkerson/Dugdale Lab.
James Fuller (MS 2010)
Thesis Title: Using Estuarine Phytoplankton to Study the Physiological Effects of Elevated Atmospheric pCO2 on Algal Growth.
I took an early retirement from aerospace engineering to pursue a lifelong interest in marine biology and oceanography. I am concerned with anthropogenic impacts on marine life and ocean health in general. One area of interest is the impact of increasing ocean acidity (caused by increasing atmospheric CO2 levels) on primary production and subsequently on the marine food web. While my research is focused on the San Francisco Bay estuary, the effects that I am studying have global implications.
Thesis Title: Using Estuarine Phytoplankton to Study the Physiological Effects of Elevated Atmospheric pCO2 on Algal Growth.
I took an early retirement from aerospace engineering to pursue a lifelong interest in marine biology and oceanography. I am concerned with anthropogenic impacts on marine life and ocean health in general. One area of interest is the impact of increasing ocean acidity (caused by increasing atmospheric CO2 levels) on primary production and subsequently on the marine food web. While my research is focused on the San Francisco Bay estuary, the effects that I am studying have global implications.
Amy Kleckner (MS 2009)
Thesis Title: The Role of an Invasive Bivalve, Corbula amurensis, in the Suisun Bay Nitrogen Cycle.
Thesis Title: The Role of an Invasive Bivalve, Corbula amurensis, in the Suisun Bay Nitrogen Cycle.
Kevin Lew (MS 2007)
Thesis Title: Methods Development to Apply the CytoSense Flow Cytometer to Evaluating Natural Phytoplankton Community Structure
Thesis Title: Methods Development to Apply the CytoSense Flow Cytometer to Evaluating Natural Phytoplankton Community Structure
Laila Barada (MS 2006)
Thesis Title: Nitrogen Assimilation in Diatoms Epression of GLNII During Eutrophication and Simulated Upwelling.
Allison Lorenzi (MS 2006)
Thesis Title: Primary Productivity and rbcL gene expression in Central San Francisco Bay.
Thesis Title: Primary Productivity and rbcL gene expression in Central San Francisco Bay.