Charlotte Springer
Undergraduate Researcher, INBRE (2x), BLaST, and URECA Scholar (2022-2023)
Projects:
“Armhook Squid Diet Analysis using eDNA Metabarcoding”
“Ageing Berryteuthis magister Inferred from Statoliths”
“Development of Methods for Heavy Metal Analysis for an Emerging Alaska Fishery”
IN THE NEWS!
ALASKA INBRE Weekly Update, 10 October 2022, By Jynene Black
Best Undergraduate Flash Talk!
Click here to read the article
Bio:
Growing up, I had a rather abnormal obsession around sharks, and growing up in Washington state, I got to occasionally visit the ocean which fueled that fascination of the unknown. As I grew up and got the opportunity to work at the Seattle Aquarium, that fascination quickly spread to invertebrates, especially cephalopods. Working at the Seattle Aquarium also allowed me to assist with the development and negotiations of a bill to ban plastic bags in Seattle, which we were able to pass in 2019. During this time I was able to volunteer for a graduate at UW assisting with the polishing and preparation of Striped Bass otoliths. These opportunities pushed me to achieve my A.Sc at Cascadia College and aim for my Bachelor in Marine Biology here in Juneau.
During my undergraduate experience, I have worked in the Navarro lab on multiple projects that revolved around Berryteuthis magister, the Armhook Squid. The first project was ageing B. magister’s statoliths in order to determine how long they live. The ageing data is inferred from statolith reads and this data is gathered to identify possible patterns in their local spawning. I have also spent a summer working on heavy metal analysis on the mantle tissue of the squid to determine if they are safe for consumption. Most recently, I have worked in collaboration with the NOAA ABL Genetics lab on identifying B. magister stomach contents using novel eDNA methods.
Where will you find me if I’m not working? Likely outdoors, on my bike or for a hike in the woods, or embracing the waves kayaking and diving!
