Past Lab

Former Post-Bacc Researchers 

Dexter Davis

Education:

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, 2019, B.S. in Environmental Science with Marine Emphases, Minor in Mathematics

Projects: The predictive nature of microbial biofilms for cuing larval settlement at deep-sea hydrothermal vents

The impact of symbiont-larval interactions on species distributions across southwestern Pacific hydrothermal vents.

Dispersal depth and the transport of deep-sea methane-seep larvae around a biogeographic barrier

 

Former Graduate Students

Vanessa Jimenez

Education:

  • University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, 2018, B.S. in Biology, Minor in Environmental Policy
  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, Marine and Estuarine Science Program, M.S. in Biology, expected 2025

Thesis Title: Larval Communities at Hydrothermal Vents After 2022 Hunga Eruption

Project: The impact of symbiont-larval interactions on species distributions across southwestern Pacific hydrothermal vents.

Email: jimenev2@wwu.edu

Defending: Feb. 28, 2025!

Michelle McCartha

Education:

  • University of Washington-Tacoma, Tacoma, WA, B.S. in Environmental Science 2014
  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, Marine and Estuarine Science Program, M.S. in Biology, 2022

Thesis Title: Investigating symbiont acquisition in deep-sea snails using fluorescence in situ hybridization

Project: The impact of symbiont-larval interactions on species distributions across southwestern Pacific hydrothermal vents.

Email: Michelle.mccartha@gmail.com

 

 

 

Mitchell Hebner

Education:

  • University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, B.S. in Biology 2019
  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, Marine and Estuarine Science Program, M.S. in Biology, 2023

Thesis Title: Can Larvae of a Deep-Sea Gastropod, Thalassonerita naticoidea, Swim to the Surface to Find Food in the Gulf of Mexico?

Project: Dispersal depth and the transport of deep-sea methane-seep larvae around a biogeographic barrier

 

Tessa Beaver

Education:

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, B.S. in Biology 2019
  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, Marine and Estuarine Science Program, M.S. in Biology, 2022

Thesis Title: Microbial community dynamics during early life-history changes in the cold-seep mussel Gigantidas childressi 

Project: Dispersal depth and the transport of deep-sea methane-seep larvae around a biogeographic barrier. 

Jake Lawlor @Jake_Lawlor1

Jake Lawlor smiling, standing on a rocky beach, wearing a white lab coat, and holding a dead giant pacific octopus.

Education:

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, Marine and Estuarine Science Program, M.S. in Biology, 2019
  • University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX. B.S. Environmental Science, 2016

Thesis Title: “Modeling Effects of Climate Stress on Larval Growth and Behavior of Oysters in the Salish Sea”

Paper: Temperature and salinity, not acidification, predict near-future larval growth and larval habitat suitability of Olympia oysters in the Salish Sea. 

Current Position: Doctoral program, McGill University

Brooke A. McIntyre
Brooke McIntyre standing on the beach at Fidalgo Bay holding a head-sized Pacific oyster up while smiling.

Education:

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. M.S. Environmental Science, 2018
  • Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA, B.S. Biology & B.A Environmental Studies 2013

Thesis Title: Current speed affects the vertical distribution of Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) in Fidalgo Bay, WA

Paper: Location Matters: Passive and Active Factors Affect the Vertical Distribution of Olympia Oyster (Ostrea lurida) Larvae.

Current Position: Biological Research Technician, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Oregon State University

Shannon Buckham

Shannon Buckham smiling and wearing sunglasses at the beach with shore and water in the background.

Education:

Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. B.S. Environmental Science, 2015

Thesis Title: Ocean acidification-induced swimming performance changes in Olympia oyster larvae

Current Position: Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Department of Environmental Protection

Former Undergraduate Students

Jasper Conery (URA 2024)

Cas Hacker (MACS Capstone 2024)

Allison Loftus (Research Volunteer 2024)

Jack Gates (REU 2024)

Will Penrose (REU 2021, URA 2024)

Isla Tarleton (URA 2024)

Kelita Clemente-Juarez (REU 2024)

Maggie Davis-Bower (Research Volunteer 2024)

Isabel Yueh (REU 2022)

Maia Heffernan (REU 2022, MACS Capstone 2023)

Fiona McBride (REU 2021)

Liam Patrick (REU 2021)

Parker Michaels (REU 2020)

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
  • Project: Processing larval behavior videos for incorporation into larval dispersal models

Laura Anthony (URA 2019)

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
  • Project: Developing culture systems for maintenance of deep-sea organisms

Jasper Paisner (ESCI Internship 2019)

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
  • Projects: 1) Processing larval behavior video data for Lawlor thesis project 2) Assisted with quantifying larval feeding rates of Olympia oyster larvae under climate change conditions

Maizer Sparkman (Research Volunteer 2019)

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
  • Projects: 1) Processing larval behavior video data for Lawlor thesis project 2) Assisted with Olympia oyster larval grazing experiment

Laila Brubaker (REU 2018)

  • St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, B.A. Chemistry, expected June 2019
  • Research Title: The effects of light and ontogenesis on the vertical distribution of Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) and clam larvae

Phia Yang (REU 2017)

  • University of Wisconson Madison, Madison, WI. B.S. Biology, expected 2020
  • Research Title: Behavioral effects of ocean acidification on Dendraster excentricusand Ostrea lurida.

Patria Aponte (REU 2017)

  • University of Puerto Rico, Rio Pedras Campus. B.S. Biology, expected 2018
  • Research Title: Effect of climate change on Dendraster excentricus larval feeding behavior and energy storage.
  • Lead Advisor: Dr. M. Brady Olson 

Aiyi Wu (REU 2017)

  • Binghamton University, Seattle, WA. B.A. Biology, expected 2018
  • Research Title: Tidal rhythmic spawning in Fidalgo Bay.

Dana Eckert (WWU ESCI Intern 2016)

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. B.S. Environmental Science, Winter 2017
  • Research Title: Effects of ocean acidification and warming on Olympia oyster larval settlement and juvenile mortality.

Jacob Krodel (REU 2015)

  • Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA. B.A. Biology/Secondary Education, 2017
  • Research Title: Assessing the feeding, growth, energetics, and swimming of a hydrothermal vent gastropod (Shinkailepas n. sp.).

Jake Lawlor (MIMSUP 2015)

  • University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX. B.S. Environmental Science, 2016
  • Research Title: Oysters in a changing ocean: Effects of acidification and warming on Olympia oyster larval swimming and growth.

Chelsea Collins (MIMSUP 2015)

  • Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA. B.S. Environmental Science, 2015
  • Research Title: Early life history of three marine snails from chemosynthetic communities.

Guadalupe Cordoba (REU 2014)

  • St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX. B.S. Environmental Science, 2016
  • Research Title: Vertical distribution of Ostrea luridalarvae in Fidalgo Bay, WA.

Torian Jones (MIMSUP 2014)

  • Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA. B.S. Biology, 2016
  • Research Title: Does ocean acidification affect Metacarcinus magisterembryonic development?

Tyler Carrier (REU 2013)

  • University of Maine, Orono, ME. B.S. Marine Science, 2015
  • Research Title: Responses of sand dollar larvae to ctenophore predators.

Samantha Peart (MIMSUP 2013)

  • North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. B.S. Marine Science, 2015
  • Research Title: Analysis of shells and swimming behavior of Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) larvae exposed to ocean acidification.