Smith Lab urges solidarity with Maui communities in wake of wildfires

Three weeks ago, the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century swept through west Maui, decimating the historic city of Lāhainā. One week before that, members from my lab returned from our latest field expedition to Lāhainā, Maui, where we’ve been monitoring coral reefs for more than a decade. Every time we’ve gone to Maui, my team has stayed … Read More

Postdoc Job Announcement

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT! POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITION AT SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY, UCSD – BIOLOGY SECTION Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO, http://scripps.ucsd.edu) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) invites applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Researcher to work with an interdisciplinary research team focused on the topic of Kelp Forest Ecology, Ecophysiology, Carbon Cycling and Sequestration Potential. The incumbent will … Read More

Another year, another Maui trip!

Aloha! Our lab just got back from our annual field work trip to Maui, and we have a lot to report! We’ve been visiting Maui for over a decade to monitor coral reefs along the island’s leeward (sheltered from the wind) coast. We return to the same sites year after year and take thousands of pictures of each reef. When … Read More

“From the Ocean, a Cure for Cow Burps”

Check out this press release from the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) on the potential of the red seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis, to significantly reduce methane emissions from the livestock industry! The article includes an interview with Dr. Jennifer Smith and other experts on the large-scale cultivation and commercialization of this nature-based climate solution.

Now Published: Decade-Long Study on Palmyra’s Coral Reefs

Although many coral reefs are facing devastating declines due to global climate change, some reefs, such as at the remote Palmyra Atoll, are able to withstand and recover from bleaching. This recently-published paper, led by Ph.D. candidate Adi Khen and co-authored by lab alumni/staff with senior author Dr. Jennifer Smith, demonstrates the remarkable resilience of Palmyra’s reefs over the past … Read More

Smith Lab participates in first-annual (virtual) California Seaweed Festival

Smith Lab will be involved in the first-annual “California Seaweed Festival” taking place virtually from Nov. 16-21, 2020. This is a free event bringing together scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, farmers, and seaweed-enthusiasts alike to celebrate the importance, diversity, and beauty of seaweeds. Professor Jennifer Smith will be a panelist for Seaweed Science; staff member Brant Chlebowski will be presenting on Seaweed as Food, and PhD … Read More

“Scientific Illustration as a Tool to Communicate, Educate, and Motivate” by PhD student Adi Khen

Smith lab PhD candidate, Adi Khen, recently wrote a blog post for Climate Science Alliance (an organization associated with the Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation at Scripps Oceanography) in which she discusses the intersection of science & art; or more specifically, the use of scientific illustration as a tool for communicating research, educating people, and motivating change. Click … Read More