Occidental College Vantuna Research Group

Southern California Academy of Sciences (SCAS) invites you to their Virtual Speaker Series featuring Oxy's own Dr. Shana Goffredi! Her talk (October 28 at 7pm) will be on "Extreme Alliances: Relationships between deep-sea animals and bacteria". Here's the zoom link to her talk: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88339366924

It took a bit, but here’s our new bathymetry map of the new reef! Second photo is the difference between pre-construction and post at block 8. #pvreef #palosverdes #seafloormapping #edgetech6205 #echo81 #oxymarinebio #artificialreefs #sonar

PLEASE SHARE! FULL-TIME RESEARCH ASSISTANT or ASSOCIATE POSITION We are seeking a Research Assistant (bachelor’s degree) or Associate (master’s degree or above) to assist with its extensive grant-funded field programs. We research nearshore marine systems throughout the Southern California Bight and work on a variety of studies including MPA research, ecological restoration and artificial reef science, NPDES monitoring, and long-term monitoring of rocky reefs. Our program con...ducts fieldwork 2-4 days a week, year-round. Workdays not in the field are spent on campus in the office and laboratory. This position requires the employee to travel to off-campus sites, and to work evenings, weekends, or on multi-day trips when necessary. This is a full-time appointment that includes a competitive benefits package. The initial appointment will be made for one year, with possibility of extension based on the availability of external grant funding. The monthly rate for this position is $3,467-$5,200 and is dependent on qualifications and experience. Review of applications will begin on October 30th and will continue until the position is filled. Any inquiries regarding the position should be sent to [email protected]. More information can be found here: https://www.oxy.edu//vrg_research_assistant_or_associate_2

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The California Coastal Commission is a state agency charged with protecting and enhancing California’s coast and ocean for all. The Commission’s South Coast District Office is looking for an intern interested in land use planning, gentrification, and the impacts of planning decisions on people of color and low-income communities. The intern will gain experience in the environmental field and learn about working in public service. The internship is unpaid, but if this position meets criteria for a course project, class credit, or other educational pursuit, staff can work with the selected intern to facilitate the completion of related requirements. Applications will be reviewed starting September 21, and the position will be filled as soon as possible.

Today is @mattrobart ‘s last day at the VRG and we’re not sure what we’re going to do without him. It’s been a great 5 years, and we wish him all the best in Ashland, Oregon!

Shout out to our awesome lab student Nicole McGee ’21, who participated in the @urc.oxy summer research conference earlier this month. In an intensive 10-week summer research program, Nicole compared fish communities at sites dominated by Sargassum or Giant Kelp using VRG dive data. She did all of her research remotely from her home in Chicago including learning R, writing a paper and creating a poster, and attending several zoom calls with her mentor @jonathanpatrickwilliams Way to go Nicole, we miss you and can’t wait to have you back on campus! To learn more about Nicole’s research findings, check out the link in our bio!

Jane and her crew @inkdwell are bringing the kelp forest wall to life! Can you guess which species are going to be featured? We can’t wait to share the mural and our new space with everyone once it is safe to do so. Photos look great, but it is simply spectacular in person! @ Occidental College

This may be our favorite yet! A pacific seahorse (Hippocampus ingens) is hidden in the eelgrass of the estuary scene @ Occidental College

A spotty has made an appearance on the estuary wall Spotted sand bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus), named for both their prominent spots and bars, are one of the most common species caught during our fisheries surveys in San Diego Bay and account for the second highest in biomass.

Watching the process of @inkdwell creating this mural has been so cool. The first fish to be finished is a California flying fish (Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus californicus) at the surface of the water near the RV Vantuna! @ Occidental College

I spy the RV Vantuna!