AMSA Student Night

Great to be invited to the NSW AMSA student night at the Loft Bar, UTS.  Packed house for talks with inspirational scientists Dr Iain Suthers (UNSW), Dr Pat Hutchings (Australia Museum), Dr Stephen Keable (Australian Museum), Claudette Rechtorik (Sydney Aquarium), Dr Gilly Llewellyn (WWF) and Dr Jocelyn Dela Cruz (OEH).  Talks highlighted the diversity of career options for marine scientists and were followed by some mingling afterwards with local honours, masters and postgraduate students.

PhD Exit Seminar – Dr Katelyn Edge

Today the lab celebrated the final stage on Dr Katelyn Edge’s PhD journey – the exit seminar.  Congratulations Katelyn for an excellent summary presentation on the efficacy of cellular biomarkers as indicators of anthropogenic pollution.

Abstract.

The integrity and function of many nearshore aquatic ecosystems are under threat from contaminants. Developing effective and relevant monitoring tools for wide applicability in environmental monitoring programs remains challenging, but is critical to future ecosystem management. Over the past two decades, sub lethal response measures, biomarkers, have been increasingly used within environmental monitoring programmes to provide information on the adverse effects of contaminants. Evidence for the ecological relevance of biomarkers and large-scale assessments of their applicability as sensitive indicators of contaminant stress in the field are rare. In my exit seminar I discuss the efficacy of biomarkers as indicators of biological effects from anthropogenic pollution in marine filter feeding organisms; the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata and deep sea sponge, Geodia barretti. I focus particularly on the consistency of biomarker responses in the presence of multiple stressors, and their potential application for the improved monitoring of current ecological threats; re-suspended contaminated sediments and industrial discharge associated with oil and gas drilling activities.

Emma gave an entertaining introduction….

And we celebrated afterwards with Katelyn’s joint supervisor Dr Stuart Simpson from CSIRO….

 

Before all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta with the lab at the local woodfire pizzeria.

 

Meeting and Tweeting

Congratulations Dr Katelyn Edge for an excellent workshop for postgraduate students looking to enhance their professional network and the visibility of their research.  I made a cameo appearance to talk about the importance of online profiles and managing our digital footprints and shadows.