Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies

San Francisco State University

3152 Paradise Dr

Tiburon, CA 94920

email: sgifford@uga.edu

~ Education ~

   Pursuing a Master's Degree in Marine Biology at SFSU: 2003 to Present:

Under the advisement of Steve Bollens and Gretchen Rollwagen Bollens, my thesis is exploring the possible trophic roles of protozoans in Northern San Francisco Bay. It has become apparent that mesozooplankton are not strictly herbivorous. Indeed, recent research has shown that copepod diets based solely on diatoms can lead to reduced fecundity, while diets that include protozoa (tintinnids, flagellates, etc.) may be more nutritionally advantageous.

Most of the research exploring these topics has occurred in coastal seas. My work investigates the possible trophic roles microzooplankton play in estuaries. I am conducting incubation experiments to investigate the clearance and ingestion rates of a diverse array of predators (copepods, cladocerans, and rotifers) on the natural prey assemblages of Suisun Bay, to better understand how the trophic role of protozoa fits into the larger food web of Suisun Bay. In addition, I am using both native and introduced predators, to see if the food web may have been altered in recent years due to the introduction of certain invasive species.

REU Fellowship: Baylor University June - August 2002

In the summer of 2002, I was one of ten undergraduates selected to participate in Baylor University’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). This NSF funded program was designed to get undergrads, with the help a faculty mentor, to develop and implement their own research project. In addition, we participated in seminars, lectures, workshops, and a wide variety of field trips.

I worked closely with Dr. Owen Lind, researching the effects that a varying light climate has on the phytoplankton production in the local reservoir Lake Waco. I established 42 sites on the lake, and measured chlorophyll a concentrations, turbidity, and rate of PAR attenuation at several depths within each site. Water samples were taken back to the lab, where I placed them in an experimental tank to measure respiration and productivity rates. The data was analyzed and plotted in ArcView to create interpolation maps of the lake.

The results of my research were showcased at the end of the ten week program in both an oral and poster presentation. In addition, I presented my work at the 2003 American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

   Research Technician: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:  June -September 2001

Working as a research technician for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, I studied the reproductive behavior of the endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle. My work contributed to a long term data set that is being used to locate and protect the nesting habitat of the Hawksbill.

Undergraduate Assistant: Snow Laboratory September 2001 - April 2002

Dr. Allison Snow’s laboratory investigates many aspects of plant biology, with an emphasis on gene flow in transgenic crops. During my junior year at Ohio State, I worked as an undergraduate assistant in the Snow lab. While I did many of the usual undergrad tasks (taking care of plants, data entry, counting seeds… lots of seeds), I also had the opportunity of working closely with the graduate students and postdocs on their projects, learning the fundamentals of graduate level research, as well as being exposed to basic genetic techniques

Volunteer: Columbus Parks and Recreation September 2000 - June 2001

I volunteered weekly in the newly formed natural resources department. The goal of the department was to protect the natural areas in and around the Columbus metropolitan area. I spent time on a variety of projects; including habitat cover mapping, invasive species control, freshwater mussel identification, and prairie restoration.

~ Future Directions ~

 ~ Course Work ~

SFSU        

OSU