Undergraduate students play an integral role in the Marine Zooplankton Ecology Lab. Students directly contribute to research endeavors through a multitude of activities, including: sorting plankton, managing data, participating on research cruises and field trips, and working with graduate students. Students also are encouraged to participate in weekly lab meetings. Students learn how to work in a laboratory setting independently and as a team. They are asked to critically think about the work they are doing. We are almost always looking for enthusiastic students to join the lab group. Students typically volunteer for a semester to get their feet wet and then, depending on progress and funding, often transition to a paid position. Undergrad alumni are now attending graduate school and medical school as well as working in conservation.
Undergraduate Alum
Aidyn Creson (2017 – 2020)
My name is Aidyn Creson. I am a sophomore in my undergraduate degree at UL studying biology with a concentration in medical and health allied sciences. I hope to one day be a pediatrician. I love all things tiny and cute (plankton included) and am excited to continue working in the lab for a second semester!
Sara Moran (2018 – 2020)
Franchelle Young (2019 – 2020)
Kaleb Derouen (2018 – Present)
Victoria Gomez (2018 – 2019)
Andrea Turcu (2017- 2018)
Hello, my name is Andrea Turcu and I am completing the courses required to be admitted into the graduate biology program here at ULL. I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in accounting from Bowling Green State University in 2011 but have decided to pursue a field that I am vastly more passionate about for my graduate degree. While I am interested in many different areas of biological research I am currently most interested in the emerging field of epigenetic studies. I am married and have one young daughter, Beatrice, and her development reminds me of the awe of biology every day.
Kate Thompson (2016-2018)
My name is Kate Thompson. I am in my third year of my undergraduate studies at UL Lafayette. I am studying biology with the end goal of doing traumatic brain injury research for the military. I have been working with Dr. Robinson for just over a year now and have developed a love for plankton. I never would have guessed so many tiny, crazy little creatures existed in the ocean. I have also had the joy of learning the collect plankton and teaching new people in the lab about plankton diversity and classification
Tiffany Hall (2017-2018)
My name is Tiffany Hall and I graduated from UL at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in the spring of 2017. Following graduation, I was hired by the Utah Conservation Corps as a Crew Member doing invasive species removal in the Grand-Staircase National Monument. In 2018, I will be moving to Montana to work with Montana Conservation Corps as a Crew Leader to do more invasive species removal. I enjoy the outdoors and helping maintain our public and natural lands beautiful!
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