Current Lab Members
Principal Investigator
Dr. David K. Jacobs
Dr. David K. Jacobs
Graduate Students
Brenton Spies Link
Examining the impact physical processes can have on water quality, community structure, and the presence/absence of endangered fauna.
Examining the impact physical processes can have on water quality, community structure, and the presence/absence of endangered fauna.
Rachel Turba (she/her)
I am a PhD candidate from Brazil with a lot to learn and unlearn about my identity in the US, and how to be an effective ally here and wherever I go. My BA and Masters were focused on Zoology and Systematics, working with museum collections of marine snails to understand broader biogeographic questions about the deep sea. During this time, I also did a deep dive in science communication, where I explored taxonomy and the passion to identify organisms as a tool for inspiring conservation awareness within the broader public.
Before starting my PhD, I had the opportunity to work as a wildlife guide at Pantanal, where I shared my passion of the natural world with other enthusiasts from all over the globe. For my PhD, my work shifted to conservation genetics, mainly by accident, but I feel this is where I belong. I work on population genomics of endangered and extirpated species, which allows me to work with museum collections again; as well as post-fire effects and community shifts of coastal lagoons in southern California using environmental DNA. I am also deeply interested in science communication, the scientific process and how people think and learn.
Join my project on coastal lagoons at iNaturalist here!
I am a PhD candidate from Brazil with a lot to learn and unlearn about my identity in the US, and how to be an effective ally here and wherever I go. My BA and Masters were focused on Zoology and Systematics, working with museum collections of marine snails to understand broader biogeographic questions about the deep sea. During this time, I also did a deep dive in science communication, where I explored taxonomy and the passion to identify organisms as a tool for inspiring conservation awareness within the broader public.
Before starting my PhD, I had the opportunity to work as a wildlife guide at Pantanal, where I shared my passion of the natural world with other enthusiasts from all over the globe. For my PhD, my work shifted to conservation genetics, mainly by accident, but I feel this is where I belong. I work on population genomics of endangered and extirpated species, which allows me to work with museum collections again; as well as post-fire effects and community shifts of coastal lagoons in southern California using environmental DNA. I am also deeply interested in science communication, the scientific process and how people think and learn.
Join my project on coastal lagoons at iNaturalist here!
Benjamin Ha
I am a PhD Candidate and a NSF Graduate Research Fellow. I identify as a first-generation undergraduate, first-generation and first in my family to pursue a graduate degree, and a child of immigrants and war refugees. My general research interests include understanding anthropogenic impacts on marine communities and populations, and how research can inform marine conservation and policy. My PhD research focuses on population genetics/genomics of tidewater gobies.
I am also a CIRTL Scholar and am interested in how inclusive teaching practices can be used to improve the academic performance of disadvantaged students in STEM higher education. I have a B.A. in English and American Literature from NYU and pursued post-baccalaureate studies to change careers to marine biology.
I am a PhD Candidate and a NSF Graduate Research Fellow. I identify as a first-generation undergraduate, first-generation and first in my family to pursue a graduate degree, and a child of immigrants and war refugees. My general research interests include understanding anthropogenic impacts on marine communities and populations, and how research can inform marine conservation and policy. My PhD research focuses on population genetics/genomics of tidewater gobies.
I am also a CIRTL Scholar and am interested in how inclusive teaching practices can be used to improve the academic performance of disadvantaged students in STEM higher education. I have a B.A. in English and American Literature from NYU and pursued post-baccalaureate studies to change careers to marine biology.
Hayden Speck
Evolution of ciliated sensory cells; evolution of sensory systems; early animal evolution; geomorphology of Southern California estuaries in relation to rain events; Snowball Earth and early animal evolution.
Evolution of ciliated sensory cells; evolution of sensory systems; early animal evolution; geomorphology of Southern California estuaries in relation to rain events; Snowball Earth and early animal evolution.
Mira Abrecht (she/her)
Current Projects
Current Projects
- Microsporidial infection of tidewater gobies along California coast
- DNA barcoding of invertebrates from California lagoons
- eDNA processing in estuarine marine protected areas
- Seasonal fish communities in Baja California lagoons
Technicians and Undergraduate Students
Charlotte Cosca (she/her; Class of 2020)Major: Marine Biology
Minor: GIS&T I am from Napa, California. I study anthropogenic changes within lagoons in the LA area, focusing on Malibu Lagoon. |
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Shreya Tamatam (Class of 2022)
Major: Biology
I am from Sacramento, CA studying the stages of life for the Aurelia jellyfish, and development and evolution of sensory organ systems.
Major: Biology
I am from Sacramento, CA studying the stages of life for the Aurelia jellyfish, and development and evolution of sensory organ systems.
Ellison Yang (Class of 2022)
Investigation on changes in the genetics of tidewater goby.
Investigation on changes in the genetics of tidewater goby.
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Madeline Trotter (Class of 2021)
Major: Biochemistry I'm from San Jose, California. My research is focused on phylogenetic and statistical analysis of population structure in fiddler crabs. |
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Citlali Lopez (Class of 2021)
Major: Biology I am a first-generation indigenous Latina from the Central Valley currently studying the effects of fires on coastal lagoons using eDNA. |
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Jasmine Botello (Class of 2021)
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Lauren Man (Class of 2022)
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Lab Alumni
Dr. Xinhui 'Paige' Zhang
Scientific Analyst at Morrison & Foerster
LinkedIn
Dr. Elizabeth Heath-Heckman
Assistant Professor at MSU.
Dr. Jeana Drake
Post-doctoral researcher in the Mass lab at University of Haifa (Israel)
Assistant Project Scientist and Lecturer at UCLA.
Dr. Janet Buckner
Post-doctoral researcher at Iowa State University.
Personal website
Dr. Greer Dolby
Post-doctoral researcher in the Kusumi lab at ASU.
Personal website
Dr. Ryan Ellingson
Lecturer at UCLA
You can find out more about Ryan’s work at his website.
Dr. David Gold
Assistant Professor UC Davis.
www.DavidAdlerGold.com
Dr. Chris Winchell
Post-doctoral researcher with David Weisblat at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Nagayasu Nakanishi
Assistant Professor University of Arkansas.
Dr. Todd Haney
Research assistant at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Dr. Ruth Gates
Professor and at the University of Hawaii. Ruth's Website
Dr. Kristina Louie
Kristina was trained at the California Academy of Sciences, Occidental College, and UCLA.
Learn more about the Kristina Louie memorial fund:
http://research.calacademy.org/memorial-fund
Dent Earl
Software Engineer at Google.
David Yuan
Post-Doctoral Fellow at Stanford. Link
Niko Hensley
PhD candidate at University of California, Santa Barbara. Link
John Valencia
PhD candidate at Caltech.
Ignacio Navarrette
PhD candidate at UC Berkeley.
Micah Battson
Masters student at CU Boulder.
Holly Fuong
PhD student at Columbia University.
Clive Lau
PhD student in the Sears Lab at UCLA.
Sue Xue
PhD student in the Schnitzler Lab at University of Florida.
Tatum Bernat (undergraduate researcher)
Arianna Rose Soriano (undergraduate researcher)
Jessica Manzano (undergraduate researcher)
Greg Kao (non-student researcher)
Mohamad Kahil (non-student researcher)
Nabila Soeboer (undergraduate researcher)
Katherine Killmond (undergraduate researcher)
Kia Safatian (lab technician)
Mary Zhang (undergraduate researcher)
Shirin Moustofi (undergraduate researcher)
Mariam Tabatabaee (undergraduate researcher)
Michelle Martin (undergraduate researcher)
Sukhraj Sohal (undergraduate researcher)
Tony Nguyen (undergraduate '18)
Scientific Analyst at Morrison & Foerster
Dr. Elizabeth Heath-Heckman
Assistant Professor at MSU.
Dr. Jeana Drake
Post-doctoral researcher in the Mass lab at University of Haifa (Israel)
Assistant Project Scientist and Lecturer at UCLA.
Dr. Janet Buckner
Post-doctoral researcher at Iowa State University.
Personal website
Dr. Greer Dolby
Post-doctoral researcher in the Kusumi lab at ASU.
Personal website
Dr. Ryan Ellingson
Lecturer at UCLA
You can find out more about Ryan’s work at his website.
Dr. David Gold
Assistant Professor UC Davis.
www.DavidAdlerGold.com
Dr. Chris Winchell
Post-doctoral researcher with David Weisblat at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Nagayasu Nakanishi
Assistant Professor University of Arkansas.
Dr. Todd Haney
Research assistant at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Dr. Ruth Gates
Professor and at the University of Hawaii. Ruth's Website
Dr. Kristina Louie
Kristina was trained at the California Academy of Sciences, Occidental College, and UCLA.
Learn more about the Kristina Louie memorial fund:
http://research.calacademy.org/memorial-fund
Dent Earl
Software Engineer at Google.
David Yuan
Post-Doctoral Fellow at Stanford. Link
Niko Hensley
PhD candidate at University of California, Santa Barbara. Link
John Valencia
PhD candidate at Caltech.
Ignacio Navarrette
PhD candidate at UC Berkeley.
Micah Battson
Masters student at CU Boulder.
Holly Fuong
PhD student at Columbia University.
Clive Lau
PhD student in the Sears Lab at UCLA.
Sue Xue
PhD student in the Schnitzler Lab at University of Florida.
Tatum Bernat (undergraduate researcher)
Arianna Rose Soriano (undergraduate researcher)
Jessica Manzano (undergraduate researcher)
Greg Kao (non-student researcher)
Mohamad Kahil (non-student researcher)
Nabila Soeboer (undergraduate researcher)
Katherine Killmond (undergraduate researcher)
Kia Safatian (lab technician)
Mary Zhang (undergraduate researcher)
Shirin Moustofi (undergraduate researcher)
Mariam Tabatabaee (undergraduate researcher)
Michelle Martin (undergraduate researcher)
Sukhraj Sohal (undergraduate researcher)
Tony Nguyen (undergraduate '18)
© 2014 David K. Jacobs. All Rights Reserved. All images are taken from personal collections or from Wikimedia commons.
