Previous Research

I always knew that I wanted to be a biologist. I began working with animals as a high schooler through the Youth Volunteer Program at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium which further motivated me to become a zoologist. During my time as an undergraduate student at Cal Poly Humboldt, I joined a myriad of research opportunities that carried on through my master’s work that I show through photographs below. All photographs are either of me of taken by me. My Curriculum Vitae is shown below.

  • Marine Protect Area (MPA) surveys 2013-2014

  • Sea Star Wasting Disease in Juvenile Leptasterias 2015

  • Sea Star Intertidal Surveys 2014-2019

  • Scanning Electron Microscopy of Sea Star Aboral Spines 2017-2019

  • Invertebrate Specimen Preservation 2019

  • Graduate Student Technician attending to animals in the Gamepens of the Wildlife Department at Cal Poly Humboldt 2017-2019

  • Drone Image of Eel Grass Meadow Surveys 2017-2021

  • Scuba Diving began in 2020

Curriculum Vitae

Education      

2021-               Northeastern University

                        PhD in Marine and Environmental Sciences

2016-2019       Humboldt State University

                        MS in Biology

2012-2016       Humboldt State University

                        BS in Zoology

2010-2012       Pierce Community College

                        GE requirements

Research Experience

2021-               Graduate Research Assistant for the Biological Oceanography Project analyzing temperature and frequency fluctuations on population dynamics of Tetraselmis sp, Drs. Brian Helmuth and Tarik Gouhier

2017-2020       Lead Field & Laboratory Research Assistant for the Humboldt Ocean Carbon Observatory Project, Drs. Frank Shaughnessy and Joe Tyburczy

2016 -2019      Assistant Supervisor/ Graduate Student Assistant in the Wild Life Gamepens, Dr.        Richard Brown

2016-2018       Research Volunteer, Genetic Analysis of Species Complex Leptasterias spp, Dr. Sarah Cohen

2015-2016       Undergraduate Research Assistant, Humboldt State University

                Effects of ocean acidification on key rocky intertidal predator-prey

                        interactions under supervision of Dr. Paul Bourdeau.

2014                Undergraduate Research Assistant, Humboldt State University

Variation of Invertebrates and Algae in and out of Marine Protected Areas in the Northern California under supervision of Dr. Sean Craig and Dr. Joe Tyburczy. 

Teaching Experience

2016-2019       Teaching Associate at Humboldt State University, Biology Department

2015-2016       Volunteer Teachers Assistant, Humboldt State University

                        For Dr. Paul Bourdeau in Invertebrate Zoology

2014                Volunteer Teachers Assistant, Humboldt State University

                        For Dr. Katie McDonald in Invertebrate Zoology

Grants and Awards

2021                STARS Diversity Fellowship, Northeastern University

2017                Malcom Oliphant Scholarship, $2000.00

2016                Marine and Coastal Science Institute Graduate Student Research Award Program, $1000.00

2016                Western Society of Naturalist Student Travel Award, $50.00

2015                COAST Undergraduate Student Research Support, $500.00

 

Publications

2022    in progress: Jones, A.J., Zuelow, A.N., Boudeau, P.E., The armor of a keystone species: intraspecific aboral spine variation in the ochre sea star, Pisaster ochraceus

 

Presentations

2022                Jones, A.J., Intraspecific morphological variation in aboral spines in the intertidal sea star, Pisaster ochraceus. Benthic Ecology Meeting. Paper Talk.

2018                Ureno, G., Bespalova, D. V., Encinas, K. M., Shaughnessy F. J., Jones, A.J., LeBlanc, E., Landaw, K., Ray, J., Nelson, T., Tyburczy, J., Abell, J. Variation of Invertebrate Communities Among Eelgrass Beds in Humboldt Bay: Implications for CO2 Drawdown. Western Society of Naturalists. Poster.

2018                Shaughnessy F.J., Tyburczy, J., LeBlanc, E., Jones, A.J., Ray, J., Lopiccolo, J., Nelson, T., Raether, S., Landaw, K., Abell, J. Spatial Differences in Eelgrass Bed Conditions in Humboldt Bay, CA that Could Affect the CO2 Drawdown Function of the Plant. Western Society of Naturalist. Poster.

2018                Landaw, K., Shaughnessy, F.J., Jones, A.J., Glazebrook, M., Tyburczy, J., Ray, J., Nelson, T., Abell, J. Adjustments to Eelgrass Leaf Area Index in Humboldt Bay Based on Desiccation and Wasting Disease Lesions. Western Society of Naturalists. Poster.

2018                Jones, A.J, PE Bourdeau, Morphological Variation in Aboral Spines in the Forcipulate Sea Star, Pisaster ochraceus, Across Environmental Gradients. Science of Integrative and Comparative Biology. Paper Talk.

2017                Jones, A.J, PE Bourdeau Morphological Variation in Aboral Spines in the Forcipulate Sea Star, Pisaster ochraceus, Across Environmental Gradients. Western Society of Naturalists. Paper Talk

2017                AN, Zuelow, AJ, Jones, PE Bourdeau, Trade-offs between skeletal development and soft tissue growth in Pisaster ochraceus across a wave-exposure gradient. Western Society of Naturalists. Poster

2016                Jones, A.J, AN, Zuelow KP Orr, PE Bourdeau, Body size and morphology of the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus across an upwelling gradient in the eastern pacific. Western Society of Naturalist. Poster.

2015                Jones, A.J, KP Orr, PE Bourdeau, Body size and morphology of the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus across an upwelling gradient in the eastern pacific. Western Society of Naturalist. Poster.

2014                Jones, A.J, SJ Shapiro, SA Wickman, LA Booher, SJ Martin, JA Tyburczy, P Raimondi, SF Craig, Latitudinal variation in diversity and abundance of invertebrates and algae in Northern California mussel beds. Western Society of Naturalist.  Poster.

 

Other Relevant Experience

2019                Collection and preservation of specimens for histology in Introductory Zoology, Invertebrate Zoology, and Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrate microscope slide collections

2016                Phenotypic Plasticity and Size Morphology of Pisaster ochraceus, Master’s Thesis

2015                Wasting Effects on Different Life Stages of Leptasterias hexactis. Senior Research Project.

2015                Lead Undergraduate Research Assistant. Vertical distribution of sea star wasting disease in Northern California. Jana Litt Master’s thesis.

 2014-2015      Lead for Phytoplankton Culture for Dr. Sean Craig. Maintaining different cultures for Watersipora research

2014                Undergraduate Assistant Volunteer. Dr. Katie Mcdonald

                        Monitoring Sea Star Wasting Disease in Trinidad California.

 

Relevant Lab Experience

·         Experienced in using a Quanta FEI 530 for Scanning Electron Microscopy

·         Mimics 3-D image software for composite STL files of micro CT scans of sea stars with edits in software Mesh lab to 3D print sea stars.

·         Lead Research Assistant to Dr. Paul Bourdeau: experienced in running a lab including scheduling, training, and maintaining equipment.

·         Software experience: R, ImageJ, Excel, Mimics.

·         Elevated microscope work: Kohler Illumination, dissecting microscope dissections, and extensive work with Infinity and Infinity capture and analyze software.

 

Additional Voluntary Work

2015                National member of American Association of Zookeepers

2012-2017       American Association of Zookeepers member of the Sequoia Park Zoo chapter

2010-2012       American Association of Zookeepers member of the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium chapter.