The Team

Some of the group members, from left to right:
Sarah Sowell, Barry Sherr, Kristin Landgren,
Susan Starr, Krista Longnecker, Jared Sherr

Unless otherwise noted, all team members are affiliated with the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.

Amanda Ashe, Research Assistant
Amanda works in a photosynthesis laboratory. She manages laboratory experiments and cruise efforts aimed to better understand environmental factors affecting algal physiology. Much of her time is spent growing phytoplankton cultures, "playing" with many different pieces of equipment in the lab, analyzing samples collected at sea (looking to identify amounts, types and sizes of phytoplankton in a particular location &/or depth), sitting in front of the computer looking at data, packing for cruises and the fun part--sailing on cruises and getting her hands (and sometimes feet) wet!  

When Amanda isn't working she can be found digging in her garden, entertaining friends, hiking with her husband or curled up with a book and perhaps a furry critter (or two). Or if you're up before dawn, you *might* catch her at the gym!

Zanna Chase, Assistant Professor
Zanna is an assistant professor of chemical oceanography at Oregon State University. She is interested in trace elements in the ocean, and how trace elements interact with the plants and animals living in the ocean.  The elements can interact as toxins or as limiting nutrients. She also uses trace elements to study the biological and chemical history of the ocean, and its response to climate change.  This is a field known as paleoceanography. She has worked in Antarctica, off Oregon, California and Mexico, and in the Red Sea. When not working, Zanna enjoys cycling, hiking, knitting and music.

Aaron Hartz
Aaron is a graduate student in biological oceanography.  He is interested in marine microbial ecology.  More specifically, he is interested in predator/prey interactions between free living phagotrophic protists and their bacterial prey.  Aaron wants to know how signaling molecules affect protist grazing rates on bacteria.  This has broad scale ecological implications since protists are the major consumers of bacteria in the ocean.

Kristin Landgren
Kristin Landgren is a second year undergraduate student at OSU. She is currently a Biology major, and is interested in pursuing a career in oceanography. Though Kristin has always been interested in the oceans, she has enjoyed learning more about the field through her job in Ricardo Letelier’s biological oceanography lab this past year.

Sam Laney, Graduate Student
Sam has a Master's degree from OSU in biological oceanography.   After a year working on a lobster boat in Maine, he has returned to OSU to earn a doctorate in oceanography. His research interests involve understanding how microbes in the surface ocean (especially phytoplankton) conduct photosynthesis in such a variable environment. On the September WECOMA cruise, Sam will be collecting measurements of photosynthesis and other environmental properties for his PhD research. When not at sea or in the lab, Sam is highly domestic: he enjoys gardening, his three pets, and
cooking.

Krista Longnecker, Chief Scientist
Krista is a research associate post-doc, which is a fancy way of saying she has her Ph.D., but she is not yet a professor. She is interested in the interactions between bacteria and their ecosystem.  Therefore, she is called a 'marine microbial ecologist.'  Krista uses a variety of tools to measure the number of active versus dormant bacteria in the ocean.  She also examines how the diversity of active bacteria differs from the inactive bacteria.  When not working, Krista likes to go camping and hiking.  She has been busy working the house she lives in and working in the garden. She loves biking to work every day, even in the Oregon winter rainy season!

Evelyn and Barry Sherr, Professors
Evelyn Sherr and Barry Sherr are professors of microbial oceanography. They study single-celled organisms such as bacteria and protists.  These organisms are the base of the marine food web. The Sherrs say they do “mom and pop” science, working together and sharing their job. (They say they are like Barry’s parents, who had a “mom and pop” variety store in Greenwich Village, New York).  They say, “Everything we do is done together: sharing grants, advising students, going to sea to collect data, analyzing data, and writing papers.” 

When not working, Evelyn and Barry like to hike and backpack.  They enjoy reading.  They are interested in how the world works, so they like to read about astronomy, evolution, and geology.  They like to listen to jazz and classical music.  Evelyn also likes to cook.

Jared Sherr, son of Barry and Evelyn Sherr, UO student
Jared is an undergraduate student  at the University of Oregon and he is majoring in physics.  He is joining the Wecoma's crew as a helper to the scientists in their research, under the guidence of his parents Barry and Evelyn.  He also wants to observe an oceanographic field expedition.  This will be his first research cruise.  When not studying, Jared enjoys hanging out with friends and playing video games.

Sarah Sowell
Sarah has a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in
chemistry. She is currently studying to get her Ph D in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Sarah is especially interested in proteomics and oceanic bacteria. In particular, she uses mass spectrometry to compare the proteomes of different bacteria within an environmental sample and to compare the proteome a single species of bacteria grown under various conditions.

Susan Starr, Instructor,
Umpqua Community College

Annie Thorp, Instructor,
Chemeketa Community College

Susan Starr and Annie Thorp are the two instructors going on this cruise.  They will be working with the science team at a variety of science tasks.  At the same time, they will be sending journal articles and photos about the cruise activities. They will also be sending and receiving email messages.  Watch for their words and their photos!  Go to the link at “Daily Journals.” Click on the names to send email to Susan Starr and Annie Thorp.

Susan Starr teaches adult basic education classes/GED preparation at the Umpqua Community College Workforce Training Center.  She has also taught science and math in Oregon public schools.  When not working, Susan enjoys sailing, canoeing, and photography.

Annie Thorp has been an instructor in the Adult Basic Education/GED Program at Chemeketa Community College, in Salem, Oregon for the past fifteen years. She teaches at the main campus and also has a program at a neighborhood community center in south-east Salem. Before becoming an instructor, she worked as an Occupational Therapist in the mental health field. When she is not working she loves to travel, especially to be in, on, or near water. She likes to surf at the Oregon coast, and canoe or kayak in still waters. She also finds great delight going ballroom dancing with her husband, playing with her eight month old grand-daughter, and eating strawberries from her garden.