Arismendez Publishes Dissertation Research in International Journal
HRI PhD student Sandra S. Arismendez who is pursuing a degree in the Coastal and Marine System Science PhD Program at TAMU-CC has published a chapter of her dissertation research titled, "Application of watershed analyses and ecosystem modeling to investigate land-water nutrient coupling processes in the Guadalupe Estuary, Texas," in the international journal Ecological Informatics. Sandra presented her research at the 6th International Conference of the Ecological Informatics Society in December 2008 in Cancun, Mexico, and also presented a poster at the Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Workshop at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in July 2009. Sandra is working under HRI's Endowed Chair for Ecosystem Studies and Modeling Dr. Paul Montagna and HRI Associate Director Dr. Wes Tunnell. Her project is funded by a NOAA Environmental Cooperative Science Center grant to Tunnell.
View dissertation manuscript online

First HRI doctoral fellow graduates

Dr. Peter Etnoyer, left, and Dr. Tom Shirley at graduation in May (click to enlarge)
Dr. Peter Etnoyer became the first HRI Doctoral Fellow to receive his PhD during the August 8 graduation ceremonies of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He was accompanied by his family and his PhD advisor, HRI's Endowed Chair for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science Dr. Tom Shirley. Etnoyer's dissertation was entitled “Distribution and diversity of deep water octocorals in the Gulf of Mexico.” He received his BS and MEM from Duke University before enrolling in TAMU-CC's Coastal Marine System Science PhD program in the fall of 2006. During his short tenure at HRI, he participated in research cruises in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific, gave talks at a number of regional, national and international scientific meetings, published five articles in scientific journals and proceedings, and received the prestigious 2008 NOAA David Johnson Award for use of satellite imagery data, awarded at a banquet in Washington, D.C. Etnoyer has accepted a position with the NOAA Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Studies in Charleston, South Carolina, where he will be managing and studying deep water corals. He will remain at HRI until January 2010.

Ruddy working with NOAA in California
Zane Ruddy, a recent master's graduate who worked in the lab of HRI Research Associate Dr. Rebekah Thomas, recently completed the
requirements of the NOAA Graduate Sciences Program (GSP). The GSP provided Ruddy with a full-ride scholarship, funding to conduct his
thesis research, and employment upon graduation. In August 2009 Ruddy transferred to a career position with NOAA Fisheries in Arcata, California, where he is developing recovery plans for endangered salmonid species.

Froeschke presents at national meeting
Bridgette Froeschke, an HRI Research Assistant who is getting a PhD through TAMU-CC's Coastal and Marine System Science Program, attended the 89th annual meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Portland, Oregon, July 22-27. At the meeting, she presented an oral presentation entitiled “Future Fishery? Is there still hope for the future status of Southern Flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma)?” The presentation included her work on time series analysis of juvenile and adult southern flounder as well preliminary predictive modeling results. Additionally, she also received a student travel award from the society and was nominated as the faculty and executive representative for the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Graduate Student Organization.  Froeschke's advisor is Dr. HRI Research Associate Dr. Rebekah Thomas.

Reuscher's work published in Zootaxa

Scanning electron micrograph of a new polychaete species described by HRI's Michael Reuscher in publication. (click to enlarge)
HRI PhD student Michael Reuscher had a portion of his master's thesis recently published in Zootaxa. The lengthy publication includes keys to the genera in the polychaete family Ampharetidae and includes descriptions of four new species from Pacific hot vents and cold seeps. He is working with HRI Endowed Chair of Marine Biodiversity & Conservation Science Dr. Tom Shirley.