| mcnair_cv2018.pdf |
HEATHER McNAIR
EDUCATION
Ph.D. candidate, Interdepartmental Program in Marine Science 2018
University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Advisor: Dr. Mark Brzezinski and Dr. Jeffery Krause
B.A. Marine Science and B.S. Environmental Science 2010
University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Ph.D. Thesis Research 2012-Present
University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
- Taxon-specific silica production and growth rate in co-occurring natural diatom assemblages
University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
- Harmful Algal Bloom monitor for the Santa Barbara station of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS)
Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL
- Seagrass ecology lab, Dr. Ken Heck. Assisted with studies that examine the effects of pressures (BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, climate change, and anthropogenic presence) on the seagrass communities: nearshore trawling, seagrass surveys. Habitat assessment of manmade oyster reefs: oyster growth and recruitment, sediment characteristics.
Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Incline Village, NV
- Invasive species ecology, Dr. Marion Wittmann. Evaluated the effects of invasive clams on a freshwater ecosystem and possible management strategies to eradicate the population. Assisted on a benthic sampling project for macroinvertebrates of Lake Tahoe
Research Cruises
Chief Scientist: Rebecca Robinson McMurdo Station, Antarctica to Christchurch, NZ
R/VIB Nathanial B. Palmer Jan 20-Mar 6, 2017
Chief Scientist: Kimberlee Thamatrakoln Newport, OR to Port Hueneme, CA
R/V Oceanus April 19-May 2, 2015
Chief Scientist: Ken Bruland San Diego to San Diego, CA
R/V Melville July 4-21, 2014
Chief Scientist: Jeffrey Krause Moss Landing to Moss Landing, CA
R/V Point Sur June 27-July 5, 2013
PUBLICATIONS
McNair, H.M., Brzezinski, M.A., Krause, J.W. Diatom populations in an upwelling environment decrease silica content to avoid growth limitation. Submitted to Environmental Microbiology.
McNair, H.M., Brzezinski, M.A., Till, C.P., Krause, J.W. (2017) Taxon-specific contribution to silica production in natural diatom assemblages. Limnology and Oceanography. doi: 10.1002/lno.10754.
Cohen, N.R., Ellis, K.A., Lampe, R.H., McNair, H.M., Twining, B.S., Maldonado, M.T., Brzezinski, M.A., Kuzminov, F.I., Thamatrakoln, K., Till, C.P., Bruland, K.W., Sunda, W.G., Bargu, S., Marchetti, A. (2017) Diatom transcriptional and physiological responses to changes in iron bioavailability across ocean provinces. Frontiers in Marine Science, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00360.
Jones, J.M., Sweet, J., Brzezinski, M.A., McNair, H.M., Passow, U. (2016) Evaluating Carbonate System Algorithms in a Nearshore System: Does Total Alkalinity Matter? PLoS ONE 11(11): e0165191. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165191
McNair, H. M., Brzezinski, M. A. and Krause, J.W. (2015) Quantifying diatom silicification with the fluorescent dye, PDMPO. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 13: 587-599, doi:10.1002/lom3.10049
PRESENTATIONS
Invited Speaker
“Applications of confocal microscopy and Imaris”, Microscopy Workshop, Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, 2015
“Dyeing Diatoms,” Department seminar series, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 2014
Conferences
McNair, H.M, Brzezinski, M.A., Till, C.P., and Krause J.W. Taxon-specific contribution to elemental cycling in natural diatom assemblages, oral presentation, Ocean Science Meeting, Portland, 2018 (talk)
McNair, H.M, Brzezinski, M.A., Krause J.W., Parker, C., Brown, M., Coale, T., and Bruland, K. Pumping iron and silica bodybuilding, oral presentation, Ocean Science Meeting, New Orleans, 2016 (talk)
McNair, H.M, Brzezinski, M.A. and Krause J.W. Genus-specific contributions to diatom community silica production, Silicamics, Brest, France 2015 (poster)
McNair, H.M, Brzezinski, M.A. and Krause J.W. Peering into a ‘black box’ measurement-resolving group-specific silicon production rates in a natural diatom assemblage, Molecular Life of Diatoms, Seattle 2015 (poster)
McNair, H.M, Brzezinski, M.A. and Krause J.W. Who does what? Partitioning silica production among diatom groups in field assemblages, Ocean Science Meeting, Honolulu 2014 (poster)
AWARDS AND HONORS
Funding
Coastal Fund of Associated Students, Major Funding Award 2015
- Funding awarded for confocal microscopy time and stipend for an undergraduate intern. Coastal Fund awards projects that focus on preservation and protection of the Santa Barbara shoreline.
Research Accelerator Award 2016
- Awarded to a student with an environmental focus thesis to be used for field and lab expenses.
- Awarded to a graduate student in Marine Sciences based on an essay prompt “The Walkabout-the Voyage is Itself a Mystery”
Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Nominated 2013
- Nominated by students and faculty for contributions to the teaching and learning process of UC Santa Barbara
TEACHING AND MENTORING
University Teaching Experience
Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology 142C: Processes in Oceans 2016
Teaching Assistant, Profs. Uta Passow and Debora Iglesias-Rodriguez
Guest Lecture, “Phytoplankton,” Introduction to Oceans, Prof. Anna James 2016
Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology 142BL: Methods in Aquatic Ecology 2013-2015
Teaching Assistant, Prof. Sally MacIntyre
Mentoring Experience
Diana Gutierrez, undergraduate/post bachelor lab assistant 2015- 2017
Brett Russel, undergraduate intern December-June 2015
San Marcos High School, reference/mentor for phytoplankton science project 2014
Cooke Bridges Program, University of California Santa Barbara 2013
SERVICE
Outreach
Guest speaker, “Dyeing diatoms” 2014
Biology Club, Dos Pueblos High School
Guest speaker, “My path to graduate school” 2013-2016
Department of Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology
Co-founder, Demystifying Graduate School, 2013
- An evening for undergraduates interested in graduate school to interview a panel of students about their experiences
Member, Grad Students for Diversity in Science since 2016
Co-founder, STEAMroom. 2016
- A cross-disciplinary exhibition of artwork, research, and images from artists and marine scientists from UCSB and beyond.
- Department seminars and visiting guest lectures
