Coastal Ecology Research Assistant

Coastal Ecology Research Assistant

Conduct environmental contaminant analyses with the Applied Coastal Ecology lab!

The Applied Coastal Ecology (ACE) lab conducts collaborative research and outreach focused on the transition zone between land and sea. They examine biotic and abiotic processes underlying cross-habitat interactions. Research ranges from: examining organism movement and nutrient/energy flow among terrestrial, coastal, and sub-tidal systems; quantifying effects of human disturbance to one system (e.g., mangroves forests, terrestrial watersheds) on function and community composition of downstream ecosystems (e.g. coral reefs, sub-tidal rocky habitat); identifying distribution and effects of emerging contaminants on species and communities; and understanding socio-ecological coastal systems such as marine reserves and coastal communities. They work with partners to conduct applied research relevant to management and policy aimed at conserving marine communities, ecosystem processes, and biodiversity.

The goal of this project is to assist graduate student research projects examining microplastics concentrations and types in stormwater, river water, fish tissue, as well as washing machine and dryer vent filters. This will include primarily lab work, with a potential opportunity for limited field work on the Oregon Coast. Specific current projects in the lab include examining microplastic load in stormwater and wastewater, examining microplastics in washing machine filters to test the effectiveness of wastewater intervention strategies to reduce microplastics entering our waterways; examining microplastics in larval and juvenile hatchery-reared Chinook salmon, and experimentally testing the effects of microfiber exposure on juvenile salmon.

The intern will assist with sample processing including steps of the microplastic analysis process, contributing to education and outreach materials, and possibly lab work with live juvenile salmon. They will gain experience with laboratory protocols and will complete the internship with an expanded knowledge of microplastic contamination in riverine and coastal environments. This is a part-time in-person internship, with the expectation that the intern will work at least 200 hours over the course of the summer.

To learn more, visit https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/acelab.