I still remember where I was when I received the text message from Dr. Becker about attending the 2018 Salish Sea Ecosystem conference. I was walking out of class, with less than a week remaining as a college student. Although
Oyster Sustainability
Many of us have heard that oysters are an important part of our ecosystem, but many do not know why, or how to help protect them! In the Puget Sound we have two primary oyster species: the native Olympia oyster,
Becker Lab at #SSEC2018: My First Science Conference!
2018’s Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference was my very first science conference. I’ve long had a healthy obsession with Puget Sound and the Salish Sea, but I am just beginning my path to earning the degree in science that will help
Beyond the Bivalves
When you think of microscopic images, what comes to mind? Cells, hairs, tiny bugs, something else? A microscope can open up a whole world of images and creatures that are too small to see with your naked eye. The microscopes
Becker Lab Does the 2016 WSN Conference!
Last year the Becker lab had the opportunity to attend and present at the Western Society of Naturalists 100th Anniversary Conference in Monterey, California. With amazing sights, wonderful networking opportunities, and memories with the coolest lab members, what more could
Update on Olympia Oyster Hand Counts in the Becker Lab
It has been a crazy past couple of quarters in the Becker lab, everyone is working so hard! I have been conducting hand count identification on the plankton samples that we collected in the summer of 2015 from our two
The Life of an Undergraduate Researcher
Welcome! Hello everyone! My name is Katie Zentner, and I’m an undergraduate pursuing my degree in Environmental Science with a focus on Biology at the University of Washington Tacoma. In winter quarter of 2016 I became an undergraduate research lab
The Becker Lab Goes International: Sharing Success at the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference!
As April approached, the Becker Lab was anxiously preparing for presentations at the annual Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference hosted this year in Vancouver, BC. Research scientists, students, stakeholders, tribal representatives, and concerned citizens transformed the Westin in Vancouver to a
Representing UW’s Women in Marine Science: Celebrating UW’s 25th Annual WISE Conference
Over 400 women and men gathered in the Hub at UW Seattle on February 27th to connect and discuss the lives of women in science and engineering fields. Attendees ranged from pre-college students and guests to professionals and experienced educators.
The Lab Side: Developing qPCR Assays
Michelle and I have spent most of April and June in the Becker lab preparing polymerase chain reactions for each of the three species we are sampling this summer (Pacific geoduck clam, Pacific oyster, Manila clam). This is an extensive,