Employment
Data Dept. Manager: Jan. 2002 — present Hawai‘i Undersea Research Laboratory

• Maintains the HURL webpage (www.soest.hawaii.edu/HURL); represents HURL at public educational events; responds to information/photo/video requests; oversees the maintenance of the HURL archive database; helps to write articles and reports about the program

Teacher: June 2001— present The Princeton Review, Honolulu

• Taught SAT and GRE preparation classes; students showed improvements of over 100 points per test section
  

Teaching Assistant: Aug. 2000 — Dec. 2001 University of Hawai‘i/Dept. of Oceanography

• Held office hours to field questions from students in OCN 201 (undergraduate introductory oceanography course); presented two hour-long lectures on primary production; maintained the OCN 201 web page (www.soest.hawaii.edu/courses_html/OCN201); held review sessions; graded exams

Graduate Research Assistant: Aug. 1998 — Aug. 2000 University of Hawai‘i/ Dr. J. P. Cowen

• Collected and analyzed hydrothermal plume samples for bacteria and TEP (transparent exopolymer particle) abundance; investigated the significance of macroaggregate dynamics in hydrothermal plumes
• Participated on 8 research cruises (103 days total); dove on a hydrothermal vent field in DSV ALVIN; dove on the seamount Loihi in Pisces V; participated on a cruise that involved the ROV JASON

• Collected and analyzed water samples from the Pacific Ocean (station ALOHA) and from the Antarctic for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as an indicator of bacterial biomass.
• Wrote up results as a senior thesis for the Honors Program Student Researcher: Feb. 1997 - May 1998 University of Hawaii/ Marine Option Program
• Collect and analyze photoquadrat data along nine transects in the Molokini Crater for the purpose of assessing the state of the reef and detecting any changes due to overuse.
• Presented results at the Marine Option Program Student Symposium, April 1998

• Duties included: General lab maintenance, cruise preparation, sample collection, "blue water" diving, Excel data entry, slide development and analysis, bacteria counts using DAPI stain and an epifluorescent microscope, carbon and nitrogen analysis using a CHN analyzer.
• Participated on three research cruises (30 days total).
• Wrote and presented a paper for the Marine Option Program annual student symposium which summarized the analysis of the photographic slides for the presence of marine aggregates in the vicinity of a hydrothermal plume system.

• Duties included monitoring plant operation and electricity production, as well as general plant maintenance.

Education

• 1998 - 2002 University of Hawaii at Manoa, Dept. of Oceanography
  M.S. Oceanography, May 2002
  New Student committee, Geochemistry Division representative, Student Space representative
• 1993 - 1998 University of Hawaii, Manoa
  B.S. Biology with High Honors, May 1998
  Dean's List, Honors Program, Certificate in the Marine Option Program (including QUEST 1 & 2)
• 1989 - 1993 Hawaii Preparatory Academy
  High School Diploma
  Honor roll, Lifeguard & Swim Instructor, Captain of the cross-country team, winner of the 1992 Big Island cross-country championship

Awards received

• Anna Ng memorial scholarship for marine stewardship and active participation in the Marine Option Program, 1997
• Granted membership in the Golden Key National Honor Society, 1996
• Officially nominated as a National Collegiate Natural Sciences Awards Winner, 1996 and 1997
• Best Internship Presentation award, MOP student symposium, 1996

Miscellaneous

• SCUBA certified (NAUI Master Diver & NAUI Rescue Diver) with over 100 dives
• Avid hiker and camper
• CPR, First Aid certified since 1990; DAN O2 administration certified since 1996
• Assistant coach for Honolulu Fit (a marathon training group) - July to Dec. 2000 Þ finished marathon in top 5% of age group
• Certified SAT teacher for The Princeton Review, 3/2001
• Participated as a moderator and Judge at the Pacific High School Science Symposium, Feb. 2001
• Current Hawaii Driver's License & clean driving record
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Co-author on two scientific papers:
  • Cowen, J. P., R. Shackelford, D. McGee, E. T. Baker, P. Lam and E. J. Olson (1999) Microbial biomass in the hydrothermal plumes associated with the 1998 Axial Volcano eruption. Geophysical Research Letters 26(24): 3637-3640.
  • Karl, D. M., D. F. Bird, K. Bjorkman, T. Houlihan, R. Shackelford, and L. Tupas (1999) Microorganisms in the accreted ice of Lake Vostok, Antarctica. Science 286: 2144-2147