Smith Lab Ph.D. alum, Dr. Maggie Johnson, was recently featured in the latest issue of Trópicos for her work studying coral reefs of Panama as part of her postdoctoral research with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Check out this YouTube video featuring Maggie’s postdoctoral work in Bocas del Toro, where she uses field techniques she learned in the Smith Lab to … Read More
Citizen-supported science in the Gulf of Maine
Dr. Walter Adey has dedicated his career to studying the importance of seaweeds in the marine ecosystems of the Northwest Atlantic. Walter first surveyed the benthic communities of the Gulf of Maine fifty years ago. In the wake of the collapse of the famed New England cod fishery and half a century of climate change, the Gulf of Maine is … Read More
From the Pristine to Degraded: Reefs of the Central Pacific
Scripps led research team assesses the impacts of human disturbance on coral reefs. In one of the most comprehensive assessments of Pacific Ocean coral reef health spanning 10 years, 56 islands, and five archipelagos, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego marine ecologist Jennifer Smith and colleagues examined how coral reef communities at 450 sites are faring with … Read More
My first summer in the field – by Gideon Butler
My first summer in the field When I tell people that I spent six weeks on Maui this summer, nobody seems to believe that it wasn’t a vacation. I tell them that I was working from dawn to dark every day and that my body was covered in scrapes and bruises by the end, but all they hear is, … Read More
Coralline Algae: The Unsung Architects of Coral Reefs
Maggie Johnson is a third-year PhD student in the Smith Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This is a blog she wrote for the Smithsonian Institution’s Ocean Portal describing her recent cruise to the Southern Line Islands, along with other researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.
Scripps Ladies Return from Research Trip in Palmyra
Nickednamed the “Scripps Ladies,” Smith Lab members Amanda Carter and Maggie Johnson, along with Sandin Lab member Kate Furby spent 3 weeks of their summer in Palmyra, a uninhabited atoll part of the Line Islands in the Northern Pacific. The Sandin and Smith Lab of UCSD/SIO have had ongoing research in the Line Islands for years, studying “baseline” coral reefs … Read More
A Tropical Oasis for Global Change Research
Just back from her latest research excursion, PhD student Maggie Johnson talks about her experience at Palmyra Atoll, an amazing research opportunity for any marine biologist. Read more to find out why!
6 AM: Not Just for Sleeping
Alex Neu, an undergraduate student from California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), worked in the Smith Lab throughout the entire summer. Experiencing all the aspects of a marine scientist, he describes what motivates him to continue to pursue this rewarding career path.
The Underappreciated Reef Algae
The Underappreciated Reef Algae by Jennifer Smith, head researcher on the Benthic Team The green alga Dictyosphaeria cavernosa, commonly known as green bubble algae. Photograph by Jen Smith. Coral reefs are known for their spectacular diversity and striking beauty. When most people think of coral reefs they think of the colorful coral animals themselves—the organisms that build the reef structure and … Read More