The Peterson Marine Community Ecology Lab is searching for eight to ten (8 – 10) highly motivated volunteer research assistants for summer 2021 to work on several dissertation and monitoring projects. Research hours can be used towards research credit with Dr. Bradley Peterson.
Volunteers will be asked to commit at least two full days per week from late May/June through August. This will involve being able to commute to Stony Brook Southampton campus on days you plan to work (a few remote positions will be available). Exact starting and end dates are negotiable.
We specifically look for people who are comfortable and enjoy being outdoors, especially in the field on boats and in the water. Volunteers should be in good physical shape and enjoy hands-on work. Ability to swim is a requirement. Certified divers are strongly encouraged to apply.
If interested, please send your CV/resume to Jessica MacGregor (jessica.macgregor@stonybrook.edu). We will schedule interviews from there! Please note that it is unlikely that you will work exclusively on one project, though you might work primarily on one or two. We think that exploring a variety of research questions and methods is essential to your scientific development!
Summer Research Topics:
Jessica MacGregor: bay scallop restoration/predator-prey interactions
Working with Jess, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the many parts of Peconic Bay, collecting scallops and health metrics along with various forms of water quality monitoring. Another aspect of this work will be building and deploying cages to help uncover the role of predator range expansion and climate change on scallop mortality. Some post processing work will occur, involving dissecting and weighing scallops to measure gonadosomatic index and other scallop health metrics. This involves plenty of fieldwork, and Jess will typically be out on the water 1-3 times a week, weather dependent. You will gain experience boating, snorkeling, SCUBA (if certified), water sampling, and lab methods!
Flynn DeLany (flynn.delany@stonybrook.edu): seagrass restoration ecology
Flynn’s research is focused on interactions between habitat formers in a process called “Facilitation Cascades”. You will be working with transplanted seagrasses, artificial oyster units, and macroalgae to observe how their interactions can better inform restoration efforts. This work will be entirely field-based which means being out on the water multiple days a week. Field work consists of creating and deploying the experimental setup, measuring productivity, and monitoring community assemblages in the artificial seagrass/oyster habitat. You will learn how to do all this, plus have a chance to regularly snorkel/SCUBA in seagrass beds throughout Shinnecock Bay (not to mention get some boating experience!).
Brittney Scannell (brittney.scannell@stonybrook.edu): habitat use on artificial reefs
Brittney will be researching how fish utilize the artificial reefs off the south shore of Long Island through the use of acoustic telemetry and stereo baited remote underwater video. Most of her field work involves advanced diving to deploy receivers, surgically implanting black sea bass and blackfish with tags and dropping cameras off the side of boats. There is an opportunity to do remote video processing.
Alyson Lowell and Allison Ruglia: ocean acidification
Interested in ocean acidification? Hypoxia? Multiple Stressors? We are two upper level PhD Candidates needing assistance in a myriad of lab work. Tasks include image processing, shell sampling, microbiome library prep and well as processing morphometrics for marine plants and bivalves. Care is taken to ensure each student is engaged and receives the support needed to be successful. No prior lab experience needed, but we are seeking undergraduate helpers that are eager to learn new techniques and are broadly interested in marine biology, community ecology, and evolution.
Other Monitoring and Research
The lab will be deploying eelgrass- and shellfish-based restoration projects and conducting assessments of water quality, seagrass, and fauna in Great South Bay and Shinnecock Bay. For example, the Peterson lab conducts benthic surveys for the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program (ShiRP).
Over the past decade the lab has been working with the National Park Service to monitor water quality and the vitality of seagrasses in parts of Great South Bay that fall within the boundaries of Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS). The research is part of the NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program and involves lots of days out in the field, learning how to use instruments, snorkeling and lab work.
… Plus lots of other opportunities throughout the summer. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to any of the current members!