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| Graduate Spotlight |
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October 2012 Spotlight: Emily Rose
Emily graduated from the University of Tampa in 2007 where she received her bachelor’s in Marine Science and Biology. During her undergraduate career, Emily worked with Dr. Heather Masonjones studying population dynamics of syngnathid fishes, including seahorses and pipefish, in Tampa Bay, Florida. Her undergraduate thesis focused on the impacts of coastal disturbances on seagrass beds including the effects of boat propeller scars on syngnathid diversity. Currently, Emily is a Ph.D. candidate starting her fourth year in the Jones lab. Her dissertation work includes studying the effects of anthropogenic impacts on sexual selection and population dynamics in syngnathid fishes. As an EPA Star Fellow, Emily will be investigating the effects that endocrine disruptors, such as synthetic estrogen, have on Gulf pipefish populations. Previous work in the Jones lab by Charlyn Partridge has shown exposure to synthetic estrogen results in feminization in male pipefish and alters the Gulf pipefish mating system. Emily is investigating how endocrine disruptor exposure alters sexual selection, offspring survivorship and juvenile development in pipefish. She also plans to address how these contaminants affect natural populations of Gulf pipefish in the Gulf of Mexico region. This will include using a population genomics approach to better understand the effects that endocrine disruptors have at the molecular level, by detecting changes in gene expression levels, as well as on a population level, by looking for signs of local adaptation to these contaminants, in pipefish.
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Emily Rose has been awarded an EPA Star Fellowship for her work on the effects of endocrine disruptors on the Gulf pipefish with Dr. Adam Jones. The Star Fellowship program is supported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and aims to support competitive graduate research across various fields of environmental science. This grant will provide payment for tuition, stipend, and additional research and travel expenses for three years during her dissertation. 