Choosing fish wisely

October 28th,  2023

The story of mercury in the environment is complex. But the story is also fascinating in that mercury is a naturally occurring element.  The story includes intriguing science on how mercury enters into the ecosystem and how it is transformed to more toxic forms by microorganisms, how it biomagnifies in the food chain, how that translates to levels of methylmercury in different fish species, and ultimately how it ends up inside of us. Meet with the project coordinator of The Gelfond Fund for Mercury Research & Outreach and learn about mercury cycles.

 

Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_in_fish

 

Interviewing Maureen

Where did you go to school?

University of Pennsylvania (BA) State University of NY at Albany (BA)

 

What is your area of research?

Ecology and Environmental Health

 

Who or what inspired you to become involved in marine science?

My inspiration comes from the link between the marine environment and human health.

 

What qualities do you think are important in order to become a scientist?

Boundless curiosity and perseverance.

 

Why is your research topic important?

My research examines how pollutants like mercury move through the environment, get into fish, and people who eat fish. This research can help understand the health risks and identify ways to reduce pollutant levels in fish, and fish consumers.

 

What will you be bringing with you to the “meet with an Oceanographer” day?

We will bring information to display about how mercury gets into fish, and seafood consumption guides that we can distribute to visitors.   We will also bring our film “Choosing Wisely – Recognizing and Preventing Overexposure to Mercury in Fish” which can be shown on a laptop or projected onto a screen for interested visitors.

 

What is the best advice you have for people interested in becoming involved in your field of research or in marine sciences?

Pick a topic or a problem in the marine environment that interests you, and find related volunteer or internship opportunities that will give you hands-on experience.

 

What is your favorite ocean organism?

Horse shoe crab

 

Want to know more about Mercury in food chain?