Self-Assessment-Plan-2023

Goals for 2023

(1) RESEARCH AND WRITING GOALS

I. Manuscripts

i. Field mussel energetics project:

  • (in review)

ii. Barnacle energetics project

  • Finalize all tables and figures
  • Draft manuscript
  • Finalize and submit

iii. Alma mussel energetics project

About: L. Alma and J.Padilla-Gamiño grew mussels for two 6 month periods and measured respiration at the end of each interval. Build an energetic model that predicts cost and growth and evaluate the relationship between estimated and observed growth.

  • Finalize all tables and figures
  • Draft manuscript
  • Finalize and submit
  • Complete the following:
    • Finalize nonlinear fits involving temperature, pH, and mussel mass
    • Finalize energetic unit conversions and estimate cost (J) and SFG (J)
    • Write methods for the paper on how these estimates were done.

II. Experiment(s), Measurements, and Analyses

i. Atlantic surfclam sediment porewater and energetics modeling project:

  • Team: monitor transplanted surfclams at 2 sites, ongoing monitoring at 4 sites
  • Shell hash experimental treatment comparison
    • Carbonate content of sediment with and without shell hash
    • Team: Carbonate chemistry of sediment porewater with and without shell hash
    • Work with collaborators to compare summer gene expression of surfclams with and without shell hash at 4 sites.
  • Finish lab processing of samples
    • POM and TSM (particulate matter and total suspended matter)
    • Sediment cores (April collection from transplant sites)
    • Dissections of surfclams
  • Biodeposition measurements
  • Modeling and synthesis components
    • Coordinate with Emilien and gather datasets to predict feeding and growth rates for both the field monitoring project and the transplant experiment
    • Read up on energetics modeling work predicting maximum size and annual growth rates (D. Munroe)

III. Overall Goals This Year..

(1) Sharpen writing and speaking skills

  • Manuscript publication (More detail above)
  • Seek out teaching opportunities
  • Present at scientific meetings

(2) Coding and ecological modeling product creation

  • Develop a pipeline for energetics modeling code so it can be easily reused. Include reference to published code in manuscript.
  • Use linear mixed effects models, and mechanistic model simulations. Publish reports online with figures and code imbedded into one report.
  • Reading: Atlantic surfclam population and growth models (especially models that include mortality)

(3) Bioinformatics

  • Collaborate with NOAA bioinformatics experts to investigate gene expression.
  • Interpret TaqSeq data
  • Reading: general transcriptomics / gene expression networks

(4) Applications for faculty positions and grant proposals in quantitative ecology / theoretical biology / ecophysiology

  • NOAA OAP (LOI submitted)
  • OAE-PRF NSF postdoc grant application, Nov 10, 2023 (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22628/nsf22628.htm#awd_info)
  • Faculty applications (October - December 2023)
Written on April 30, 2023