Navarro Lab, University of Alaska Southeast

Undergraduate Researcher and URECA Scholar (2017-2018)

Vasilý Justin Sekerak is an undergraduate student in the department of Natural Sciences with a interest in fisheries research applications. He majors in biology at the University of Alaska Southeast. Currently Mr. Sekerak is conducting research in the Navarro Lab, on the salinity thresholds of California market squid in order to determine their reproductive viability in southeast Alaskan waters. More specifically his work takes a laboratory approach using realistic salinity levels to test market squid embryo threshold. This information can be used to predict geographic areas of the inside passage where market squid might spawn into the future. He is also a published illustrator and is now applying his artistic skill to the biology realm through scientific illustrations. Mr. Sekerak completed his Associates of Arts and Sciences at the University of Alaska Anchorage before moving to Juneau where he is completing his biology degree. Recently he was awarded a URECA grant to pursue research at UAS under the mentorship of Dr. Navarro.