Clavelina sp. in Long Island Sound

Yesterday (October 15th, 2009), Dave Hudson and I were taking some survey photos in Stonington Harbor, New London Co., CT. We were just checking out the usual fouling community species Botrylliodes violaceus, Didemnum vexillum, Bugula neritina, (all invasives) when Dave pointed to something different. I immediately got excited. I have never seen this species before. So I started snapping some pictures. Dave and I took a sample so that we ( can make a more exact species identification latter in the lab.

The species is almost certainly of the genus Clavelina order Aplousabranchia. The common name is the "light bulb tunicate". I would say that it is quite a good looking species, but it does not belongs here. Please let me know if you are familiar with this species. Have you seen it in Long Island Sound before?

James.Reinhardt@uconn.edu

MYSound/LISICOS Status Update

Execution Rocks buoy is back online.

MYSound/LISICOS Status Update

The Execution Rocks weather buoy should be coming online soon - it has been offline since bad weather knocked the buoy out at the end of September. Divers and techs are down there today to see what the problem may be - and hopefully it will be back online by the end of the day.

Summer Connecticut SeaGrant Project

This past summer I worked with a high school student on a Connecticut SeaGrant funded project to gather preliminary data of the biomass of hard-substrate epifaunal communities, also affectionately called fouling communities. It was a great pleasure to work with Olivia Fortunato, I only hope that she got as much out of the project as I did. The research we did this past summer has laid a great foundation for future work investigate biomass and energy flow in benthic communities.

Marines Sciences and CESE are Natural Partners

The University of Connecticut's Center for Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE) bills itself as a leader and promoter of interdisciplinary research on the UConn campus. Naturally, CESE must have a particular interest and fondness for the Department of Marine Sciences (DMS) which is interdisciplinary in nature. DMS faculty Heidi Dierssen, George McManus, Ann Bucklin, Senjie Lin, Rob Mason, Tom Torgersen, Penny Vlahos, Pieter Visscher, Evan Ward and Bob Whitlatch are all associated with CESE in one way or another. Marine Science students have been able to take advantage of CESE's goals by leveraging resources made available by CESE to help carry out interdisciplinary work. DMS Students who have utilized CESE grants and funding in the past include Christina Haska, Kim Gallagher, Maille Lyon, James Reinhardt and others. Students should be aware of upcoming deadlines for new CESE Scholarships.

Dave Hudson PNB Student Conducts Marine Research at Avery Point

Dave Hudson is a PhD student at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology. His dissertation is on the ecophysiology of invasive crabs on the New England and East coast United States. Naturally, he has established close collaborations with other scientist and students in the Department of Marine Sciences (DMS) an the Marine Science and Technology Center. DMS and MSTC, through the dive program and boat operations, help supply Dave with the necessary resources to undertake his research.

James Reinhardt Diving September 30, 2009

Finally, I was able to get out for a dive today [60 mins at 17ft]. The visibility was pretty terrible after the wind and choppy conditions we had yesterday. Rick Osman and I took the R/V Tautog out to Bushy Point. We had two objectives: 1) Take pictures of Rick's 'piling experiment' and, 2) start to dismantle my metacommunity experiment. We got all the pictures taken and we put a small dent in the dismantling process. It was a little frustrating out there today... someone had altered my weight belt, the camera fogged up briefly, my masked kept filing up (I need a haircut) and I could only see three feet. I've had better dives. But, hey, not everybody gets to do this for a living!!!

2010 NSF EAPSI Fellowship Program Now Open

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC SUMMER INSTITUTES FOR U.S. GRADUATE STUDENTS 2010 APPLICATION NOW OPEN

(Link: www.nsfsi.org)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) is a flagship international fellowship program for developing the next generation of globally-engaged U.S. scientists and engineers knowledgeable about the Asian and Pacific regions. The Summer Institutes are hosted by foreign counterparts committed to increasing opportunities for young U.S. researchers to work in research facilities and with host mentors abroad. Fellows are supported to participate in eight-week research experiences at host laboratories in Australia, China, Japan (10 weeks), Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan from June to August. The program provides a $5,000 summer stipend, round-trip airfare to the host location, living expenses abroad, and an introduction to the society, culture, language, and research environment of the host location.

The 2010 application is now open and will close December 8, 2009. Application instructions are available online at www.nsfsi.org. For further information concerning benefits, eligibility, and tips on applying, applicants are encouraged to visit www.nsf.gov/eapsi or www.nsfsi.org.

NSF recognizes the importance of enabling U.S. researchers and educators to advance their work through international collaborations and the value of ensuring that future generations of U.S. scientists and engineers gain professional experience beyond this nation's borders early in their careers. The program is intended for U.S. graduate students pursuing studies in fields supported by the National Science Foundation. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for the EAPSI. Applicants must be enrolled in a research-oriented master's or PhD program and be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents by the application deadline date. Students in combined bachelor/master degree programs must have matriculated from the undergraduate degree program at time of application.

The first Summer Institutes began in Japan in 1990, and to date approximately 1,800 U.S. graduate students have participated in the program. For the 2009 competition, NSF received 317 applications and issued 187 awards. EAPSI applicants are representative of most U.S. states and territories. The 2009 awardees pool included representation from 95 universities and 40 states.

The NSF-EAPSI Operations Center is administered by the American Society for Engineering Education (http://www.asee.org/fellowships).[

Should you inquire additional information about the program, please contact Mr. Ergys Ramaj by email at eapsi@asee.org or by phone at 1-866-501-2922.

2010 Academic Year EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Environmental Study

http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2010/2010_gro_undergrad.html

Open Date: 09/15/2009 - Close Date: 12/10/2009

Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), invites applications for the Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for undergraduate environmentally related study for bachelor’s level students. The deadline for receipt of applications is December 10, 2009. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 30 new fellowships by July 30, 2010. The fellowship provides up to $19,250 per year of academic support and $8,000 for internship support for a combined total of up to $46,500 over the life of the fellowship.

The GRO program enhances and supports quality environmental education for undergraduates, and thereby encourages them to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate level, and pursue careers in environmentally related fields.

The actual amount awarded per year will vary depending on the amount of tuition and fees and the number of months the stipend is required. This fellowship is intended to help defray costs associated with environmentally oriented study leading to a bachelor’s degree.

Youtube video by Team Benthos

University of Connecticut graduate student James f. Reinhardt shows the basic components of a Team Benthos mesocosm tank.

For more videos from Team Benthos click here.

Southern Ocean GasEx Blog

Alejandro Cifuentes, a graduate student in Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut, discuss's The Motion of the Ocean at the Southern Ocean GasEx Blog.