What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first jobs were summer jobs during high school. The very first was as a lifeguard and swimming instructor. I obtained my second summer job, at the Naval Underwater Systems Center in New London, Connecticut, as a result of being chosen as the top science student in my high school class. I also worked as a tutor during high school and college. However, the first job that was closely related to my ultimate career was when I worked as a laboratory assistant at the University of Connecticut Marine Sciences Laboratory during the summer between college and graduate school. My primary job was to quantify the concentration of metalloproteins that are involved in detoxifying heavy metal pollutants in marine animals. In addition to learning about this topic, I learned quite a bit about how a research laboratory functions.

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?

I have had several mentors throughout my academic career, from various teachers who served as role models, to several of my university colleagues. Most individuals who have been mentors have believed in my ability to succeed, even if I have not, and have challenged me to excel. They have provided stimulating environments in which to work, encouraged me to participate in programs, such as research projects or foreign travel opportunities, that have been instrumental in my scientific and intellectual development, and/or have provided sound advice at critical junctures.

What advances in your field do you envision over the next 10 years?

In the field of marine biology, I believe that there will be two important advances: (1) Significant progress in dealing with the degradation of marine environments that has resulted from negative human impacts; this will require multi-disciplinary approaches to marine conservation, restoration, and preservation, widespread education, and cooperation among political, economic, and scientific groups. (2) A more comprehensive understanding of oceanographic processes that affect life in the oceans, due to the ability to measure variables over large spatial and temporal scales as a result of advances in computing and satellite imagery, and with international and interdisciplinary cooperation.

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?

I chose to pursue a career as a university faculty member because I would be working in an environment in which learning was of paramount importance, new ideas were valued, and the community was very diverse. My job is never the same and I am always around people with fresh ideas and different perspectives. Probably the most interesting aspect of my job has been the extensive amount of travel, including international travel, that I have done. For example, to pursue my research on tuna fish, I have traveled with students to the Republic of Panama, Baja California, Mexico and Hawaii.

The recent completion of a major research project that has involved overcoming great logistical obstacles (such as moving most of my laboratory to and from Panama and then Hawaii), designing and building an essential piece of equipment, and capturing the fish that were the subject of the research and maintaining them alive in the lab. The project would not have been successful without financial support from California State University Fullerton (CSUF), the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, facilities support from CSUF, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, and work by several undergraduate and masters students, technicians and volunteers. It has been a great cooperative effort that has extended over the past ten years!

What was your greatest challenge and what did you learn from it?

I guess my greatest challenge occurred when I was a graduate student and I had to make a decision between staying to complete my Ph.D. and leaving, and then I had to decide what specific sub-field to pursue for my dissertation research. Once I made those decisions, there were many challenges ahead, but it was much easier to keep going when I was working toward a specific goal.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?

I would tell them to explore the field as much as they can - by doing volunteer work or internships, by participating in summer science programs, by taking as many science courses as possible, by travelling and observing the marine environment as much as they can, by talking to individuals in the field and finding out what their jobs are like, what path they took to their career, etc. One of the most important things is that they should truly like what they do. They should also be able to set goals and be able to manage their time effectively. The best academic preparation is a very strong math and science background, and the ability to write and communicate well.