Madelin J
- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at University of California San Diego (UCSD)

Expertise

Marine Biology, Oceanography, Earth Science, Environmental Studies, Photography, Conservation

Bio

Hello, my name is Madelin - I am a marine biologist working on my PhD at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. My field is very interdisciplinary and my research techniques involve using chemistry, physics, oceanography, statistics, and biology to answer questions about both marine and terrestrial environments. I conduct experiments manipulating factors such as pH, nutrients, and temperature to see how climate change and ocean acidification affect different organisms. I examine how climate change and anthropogenic impacts are affecting marine ecosystems using isotopes, carbon dating, photo-physiology, botany, optics, and genomics. I study how giant kelp forests in Baja and southern California are affected by oceanographic warming and the consequences of invasive species. I also study coral reefs on the remote island Palmyra to understand how coral reefs can recover following marine heat waves. In the past I have studied how herbivorous fish can affect coral reefs as a researcher the Bermuda Institution of Ocean Science. In my free time I love sailing around the Channel Islands of California on my sailboat. I am an avid freediver, fisherwoman, and surfer. I have a passion for science and environmentalism, with an interest in how different fields of science can be applied to learn about the natural world.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Climate Change and Coral Reefs: What threats are our coral reefs facing?

Coral reefs are under multiple "stressors" including ocean acidification, global warming, pollution, and overfishing. How are these threats affecting coral reef ecosystems and what are the consequences of one or all of these "stressors"? What are some solutions that can save our coral reefs?

Disappearing Giant Kelp Forests: What is happening to giant kelp around the world?

Giant kelp, known by its scientific name Macrocystis pyrifera, is disappearing around the world due to global warming, changing ocean currents, competition with invasive species, pollution, and overgrazing by sea urchins. How are kelp forests changing in different areas of the world such as Tasmania, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, or California. What threats are affecting giant kelp forests and what solutions are scientists doing to conserve these kelp forests?

Dolphins and Sonar: How do sounds in the ocean affect dolphins?

Marine mammals such as whales and dolphins use echolocation and are sensitive to noises in the ocean environment. Human-made noise by ships and technological instruments may affect their ability hear and ecolocate. What are the consequences of human noise pollution towards marine mammals such as dolphins and whales? How can it affect the way they live and interact with each other?

Coding skills

R Studio, R, R Statistics, HTML, ARC GIS

Teaching experience

Teaching Assistant for multiple undergraduate courses at UC San Diego and Scripps Institution of Oceanography including: Coral Reef Ecology, Phycology: The Study of Marine Plants, Marine Invertebrates, Introduction to Earth Science, Evolution and History of the Earth, Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Course on our Changing Earth (Co-Taught as a Political Science course). Mentor for multiple undergraduates at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. I help guide students through lab techniques, literature reviews, paper writing, and poster making. These students go on to give talks, presentations, and publish. Guest lecturer and course designer for college courses at UC San Diego. Teacher for High Bluff Academy, a prep-school in San Diego where I taught Introduction to Marine Biology and Introduction to Oceanography to high school students.