Diving Deeper

Diving Deeper with Phil Gravinese

Phil

Phil Gravinese

Florida Institute of Technology

Today we dive deeper with researcher and Youth Making Ripples Co-director, Phil Gravinese. Phil is currently a PhD Student at Florida Institute of Technology where he studies the influence of changing ocean climates on stone crab. He explains, “Floridians love seafood, especially stone crab claws. My research focuses on determining how anticipated changes in temperature and carbon dioxide may impact the growth of larval stone crabs. By modeling survivorship and growth, I hope to predict how sustainable Florida’s stone crab population may be under future changes in climate.

 

Q: What draws you “Beneath the Waves”?:

I grew up spending my summers fishing and crabbing with my grandfather. His love for the ocean, and the lessons he taught me are ultimately what led me to pursue a career in education and marine science. The messages we discover through our science provides exciting and compelling stories which can raise awareness about the importance of conserving our marine resources. My hope is that our work through Beneath the Waves, will help promote ocean education and dismantle communication barriers between the scientific community and the public.

Phil 2

 

Q: If you could make one film regarding the oceans, what/who would be the subject?

If I could make one film about the oceans the subject would likely be about the importance of understanding how humans are altering Earth’s climate, and how these changes are impacting our oceans.

 

Q: When not in the lab, on a boat, or doing science, where can we find you?

When I am not doing science you can usually find me enjoying the beach, at a Frisbee competition with my dog, or coaching rowing.

 

For more about Phil and his research, visit FIT

REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR YOUTH MAKING RIPPLES ENTRIES BY DECEMBER 5th!!

in Interviews / Youth Making Ripples  by 02 Dec 2014 0 comments

Diving Deeper with Alex Warneke

Warneke, A.

Alex Warneke

San Diego State University

 
Today we dive deeper with researcher and Beneath the Waves Director of Media and Marketing, Alex Warneke. Alex is currently a Masters Student at San Diego State University where she studies how organism communicate utilizing chemical signals. She explains, “The ocean is ruled by these compounds that dictate interactions from how to find mates to defensive compounds that deter predators. You can’t see these chemicals, but they are one of the main factors driving ocean interactions and processes. Often times these are the same chemicals that humans extract from the ocean to cure diseases.” Alex’s primary research examines the concept of “information-disruption” whereby these natural chemical pathways are being disturbed by noxious chemicals that we are putting into our oceans.
 
Q: What draws you “Beneath the Waves”?:
 
Exploration. I love the feeling of standing in awe at the vast expanse of the kelp forest or wondering at the smallest critter I can find on a reef. Each piece plays a role in the overall functioning of the ecosystem and that is truly marvelous. To stand witness to all of this and more is what draws me beneath the waves time and time again.

 

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Doing yoga at work.


 
Q: If you could make one film regarding the oceans, what/who would be the subject?

 

As someone who studies contaminants in the ocean, I see the direct impacts man has had on them. Humanity’s ignorance is astounding. People do not realize just how connected we are to this watery habitat and this disconnect will be our undoing. If I could make a film to move people to just do something and not sit around and wait for the ocean’s problems to fix themselves (which they won’t) I would do it.

 

Q: When not in the lab, on a boat, or doing science, where can we find you?

 

My science is driven by the creativity that stems from other outlets. I love music and yoga. I enjoy blogging, reading, or just hanging out with my puppy.

 

For more about Alex and her research, visit her websites: www.alexwarneke.com & www.deepseanews.com or follow her on Twitter @Alex_Warneke

in Interviews  by 09 Sep 2014 0 comments

Diving Deeper with Ashwin Bhandiwad

Ashwin Bhandiwad

University of Washington

 

Today we dive deeper with researcher and Beneath the Waves Associate Director and Film Curator, Ashwin Bhandiwad. Ashwin is currently a Doctoral Student at the University of Washington where he studies how dynamic environments shape sensory performance. He explains, “We would like to think that our sensory systems (hearing, vision, etc.) are optimized to our environment. However, our environment is constantly changing and we are changing to adapt to the environment.” His primary research examines the hearing sensitivity in larval fishes in early development and how that is affected after moderate noise exposure. He is also working on a project that seeks to understand how different visual environments can influence and shift visual motion sensitivity in a closely-related population of three-spined sticklebacks.

 

Q: What draws you “Beneath the Waves”?:

 

I want to help bridge the connection between people who love and try to understand the oceans with those people who have never thought about it. I feel that science education through film is the best way to show people the wonders of the natural environment that I’ve been fortunate enough to see.

 

Q: If you could make one film regarding the oceans, what/who would be the subject?

 

I would make a film about unique sensory adaptations to the marine environment and how those sensory adaptations can change under different pressures.

 

Q: When not in the lab, on a boat, or doing science, where can we find you?

 

Either out hiking or working at home.

 

Check out Ashwin’s recent interview on National Public Radio discussing Beneath the Waves!

 

BTW Spotlight: Ashwin Bhandiwad from Beneath the Waves on Vimeo.

 
If you would like to know more about Ashwin’s research, check out his website:

http://faculty.washington.edu/sisneros/Ashwin%20B%20page.htm

in Interviews  by 11 Jun 2014 0 comments

Diving Deeper with Andy Shantz

Greetings friends! In an effort to build the Beneath the Waves Community we would like to begin a regular segment in which we interview contributing BTW scientists and filmmakers. We believe it is important that we not only help spread information on what these scientists are doing, but that you can have a chance to get to know what drives their passion for our oceans. Enjoy!

 

 

Andy Shantz

Florida International University

 

Today we dive deeper with researcher and Beneath the Waves Scientific Meetings Coordinator, Andy Shantz. Andy is currently a Doctoral Student at Florida International University where he studies the interface between physiological and community ecology. He is interested in understanding how an animal’s physiology can dictate its role in the ecosystem and shape its responses to environmental conditions. His research right now focuses on understanding how nutrient pollution from things like agricultural run-off and waste water discharge impacts coral reef communities.

 

Q: What draws you “Beneath the Waves”?:

 

Curiosity really. I love the feeling of exploring, seeing new things, and being in the wilderness. On land, it’s harder and harder to get away from all of the roads, cars, and development and just experience nature. But you can go diving anywhere and feel like you’re exploring somewhere people have never been. It feels like going to a whole new world where there is no telling what you’ll see or find and to me, that’s an amazing feeling.

 
Q: What is your association with the film festival?:
 
My official title is ‘Scientific Meetings Coordinator’ – I help organize the film festivals that take place at scientific conferences. For me it’s great because this was really where we first started. One of our big goals was, and still is, trying to help scientists effectively communicate to make their research more accessible to everyone, and in this day and age digital media can be such an effective tool for that. So I not only get the opportunity to go to a lot of meetings and learn about the latest science, but also to show them how easily media can really broaden their impact and get their science to an audience far beyond the conference floor.
 

 

Q: If you could make one film regarding the oceans, what/who would be the subject?

 

It would be a pretty broad theme about how imperiled the oceans are right now. I think when it comes to the ocean there is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality. You look out to sea and in most places it’s still pretty and blue, so a lot of people don’t realize how seriously degraded the oceans are becoming and how disastrous things could be for the whole world if we don’t fix it. But it wouldn’t be an all doom-and-gloom movie either, I think it’s really important that people understand that the oceans are vast and resilient too. If we just start acting little more responsibly, the ocean can continue to provide all of the resources that each of us enjoys and depends on now and can start to recover to ensure those resources long into the future.

 

Q: When not in the lab, on a boat, or doing science, where can we find you?

 

I love to travel so whenever my time and budget allow it, I try to get lost somewhere new in the world. But when I can’t be traveling you can usually find me out hiking, at the beach, or at a good sports bar cheering on whatever DC sports team is playing.

 
If you would like to know more about Andy’s adventures and research, check out his website:

http://aashantz.weebly.com

in Interviews  by 27 May 2014 0 comments