I am always excited when in the dark of winter, the Alaska Marine Science Symposium rolls around.
It’s a beautiful but long 126 miles from Seward to Anchorage. “We’re at the end of the road” quite literally—the SeaLife Center is at mile 1 of the Seward Highway with only the Pacific Ocean behind us. There is a small community of other science and conservation professionals in town, monitoring the forests and parks and glaciers. We see them at the store and at the post office. Once every few months a collaborator will venture down the road, and with some arm-twisting might offer to give a short talk at lunch. Then, with the setting sun, they drive back up the road.
In the summer we’re all bustling and busy with sharks, seabirds, and sun. But in the winter I feel my curiosity start to stretch and strain being at the end of the road—eager for the days at university where there were always new students, talks, seminars, classes, discussions and papers to spark my creativity. Universities were created for that purpose—in fact the word “university” roughly translates to “community of teachers and scholars”.
A community of nerds that love learning.
I’ve always thrived in that environment. Even as a kid, my mom used to joke that I would grow up to be a ‘professional student’, and in a way, I did. Receiving a PhD wasn’t the end of my learning, but there are times where the distance and the mountains between certainly make it more difficult.
AMSS is that perfect opportunity for our group of scientists from the ASLC to travel up to Anchorage, see our colleagues, hear talks about new projects, talk to students about their work, grow as science communicators, and to feed our curiosity over a cup of coffee.
As with previous years, we will be posting throughout the week here on 60°N Science–different voices, thoughts and insights from our time at the symposium. This year, most of us are giving talks or posters. I’m particularly excited to attend the Communicating Ocean Sciences Workshop, with guest speaker Jude Isabella from Hakai Magazine.
As readers, you’re part of our community of nerds that love learning, so stay tuned for more science fun throughout the week!
Written By: Amy Bishop
2019 Talks
Counihan K, Bowen L, Ballachey B, Coletti H, Hollmen T, Pister B.
Physiological and gene transcription assays in combination: a new paradigm for marine intertidal assessment
Hollmen T, Flint P, Ulman S, Wilson H. Effects of increased salinity in coastal wetlands on threatened Steller’s eider (Polysticta stelleri) and spectacled eider (Somateria fischeri) ducklings
Coletti H, Esler D, Kaler R, Hollmen T, Arimitsu M, Petrula M, Bodkin J, Suryan R, Dean T, Kloecker K, Kuletz K, Piatt J, Robinson B, Weitzman B. Birds of a Feather Flock Together… Or Do They? Regional and Temporal Patterns of Community Composition and Abundance in Nearshore Marine Birds Across the Gulf Of Alaska
2019 POSTERS
Reichmuth C., Thometz N, Russell B, Hermann-Sorensen H, Rosen D. Molting Strategies and Seasonal Energetic Requirements of Spotted, Ringed, and Bearded Seals.
Woodie K, Rouse N, Belovarac J, McMIllen S, Goertz C. Serology and Parasitology of Stranded Marine Mammals in Alaska 2013-2018.
Rouse N, Woodie K, Belovarac J, Goertz C, McMillen S, Tuomi P. Leptospirosis – A New Normal for Marne Mammals in the North Pacific.
Bishop A, Dubel A, Sattler R, Brown C, Horning M. Characterizing the Likelihood of Juvenile Steller Sea Lion Mortality from Behavioral and Space Use Patterns
Horning M, Olsen D, Wildes S, Lowe C, Smith T, Tribuzio C, Bishop A, Sattler R, Guthridge J, Hocking R. Consummate and Consumed Predators: Evidence from Telemetry and Observations for Offshore Killer Whale Predation on Pacific Sleeper Sharks in an Alaskan Glacial Fjord
Sattler R, Brown C, Bishop A, Horning M. Seascapes of Fear: Characterizing the Habitat Associated with Predation Locations of Juvenile Steller Sea Lions
Richardson P, Bishop A, Horning M. Leveraging Information Literacy Lessons in Science Communication: Modification of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Science Outreach
Klink A, Bai Xiao, Bishop A, Burek Huntington K, Puryear W, Runstadler J, Bortz E. Nanopore (MinION) Sequencing to Detect Novel RNA Virus Genomes in Alaskan Marine Mammal Species
Lian M, Castellini M, Kuhn T, Rea L, Bishop L, Keogh M, Fadely B, Maniscalco J, O’Hara T. Oxidative Stress and Glutathione Peroxidase in Steller sea lions: associations with mercury and selenium status.
Keogh M, Levin M, O’Hara T, Castellini J, Rea L, Maniscalco J, Fadely B, Desforges J-P. Monomethyl mercury (MeHg+) alters adaptive immune functions upon in vitro and in vivo exposure in Steller sea lion pups.
{ASLC Presenters in Bold}
