UndergraduateUniversity of California Santa Cruz
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Marine Biology (BS) September 2008 - June 2012 GPA: 3.4 (Major GPA: 3.8) Relevant Coursework •Marine Ecology Field Quarter •Kelp Forest Ecology Field Quarter •Statistical Design and Data Analysis •Invertebrate Zoology •Ichthyology •Marine Botany •Reefs, Mangroves and Seagrasses •Biologic Oceanography •Coastal Geology •AAUS Scientific Diving •Motorboat Operator Training Course |
GraduateSan Diego State University
Department of Biology Biology with an emphasis in ecology (MS) August 2015 - December 2018 GPA: 3.7 Relevant Coursework •Theories and Principles in Ecology •Univariate Statistics •Multivariate Statistics •Marine Conservation •Scientific Controversies •ACE Maritime University - Special Study Research: Investigating patterns of Net Community Productivity on temperate rocky reefs. Specifically, I am characterizing differences in seawater Dissolved Oxygen on reefs dominated by the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, and on reefs where M. pyrifera is absent due to perturbations. I am working at three locations across the native range of M. pyrifera: Carmel Bay, Monterey, CA; Point Loma, San Diego, CA; Punta Banda, Ensenada, Mex. |
At-Sea Experience
•Small Boat Operations - April 2011 - Present -Acting operator on small boats (~25'LOA) for research purposes -Dive operations, equipment deployment -Vessely safety •Aleutians Archipelago - Summer 2016/2017 NSF Grant; Eastern, Central, and Western Aleutians -Benthic productivity experiments -At-sea sample sorting -Ship to boat operations -Assisted with experimental design and data Analysis •ACE Maritime University - November/December 2016 Bremerhaven, Germany to Cape Town, South Africa -Sailed with multidisciplinary, multinational graduate students -Graduate coursework -At-sea sampling/deck work •NOAA Catch-Share Observer - May 2013 - May 2014 Alaskan Observers Inc. -Observe fishing effort on commercial fishing vessels -Identify, count, and weigh by-catch and endangered/protected species -Marine mammal, bird, fish, and invertebrate identification -Data collection and entry |
Leadership Experience
•Project“Pegasus” - March 2017 - December 2018 -Mentorship of high school interns -Lead a team of interns in the construction of a remotely operated vehicle •Dive Leadership - October 2016 - December 2018 -Lead and instruct scientific divers (AAUS) as part of graduate fieldwork -Organize and lead divers from the Universidad Autonomá de Baja California Internship Experience •Our World Underwater Scholarship Society® National Park Service Intern - May 2015 - August 2015 -Traveled within NPS on SCUBA related projects -Participated on extensive nature resource dives -Participated on extensive cultural resource dives •Kelp Forest Restoration Intern. The Bay Foundation - September 2014 - November 2014 -Pre and post-urchin removal surveys (SCUBA) -Restoration (urchin removal; SCUBA) -Gonadosomatic index dissections -Data entry, data base management and QA/QC |
Professional Experience
- Research Operations Specialist March 2020 - Present -Contractor with NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
- California Sea Grant State fellow March 2019 - March 2020 -NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
- Literature review for peer-reviewed journals
Publications
Peer reviewed:
• “Species-specific biomass drives macroalgal benthic primary production on temperate rocky reefs”
– Spector and Edwards 2020 Algae
• “Marine deforestation leads to widespread loss of ecosystem function” – Edwards et al. 2020 PLOS One
Science communication
• “We're gonna need a bigger boat: Gentle giants return to Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary” – Spector 5/2019 Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Webstory
• “Dis-Aleutianed: Where the Wild Winds Blow” – Spector 9/2019 TheXylom.com
• "A Safe Haven in a Changing World Can Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Serve
as a Local Refuge Against Ocean Acidification?" - Spector 2/2020
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Webstory
In prep
• “Ecophysiological differences among understory algae; a model for benthic productivity” – Spector, McHugh, and Edwards
Peer reviewed:
• “Species-specific biomass drives macroalgal benthic primary production on temperate rocky reefs”
– Spector and Edwards 2020 Algae
• “Marine deforestation leads to widespread loss of ecosystem function” – Edwards et al. 2020 PLOS One
Science communication
• “We're gonna need a bigger boat: Gentle giants return to Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary” – Spector 5/2019 Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Webstory
• “Dis-Aleutianed: Where the Wild Winds Blow” – Spector 9/2019 TheXylom.com
• "A Safe Haven in a Changing World Can Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Serve
as a Local Refuge Against Ocean Acidification?" - Spector 2/2020
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Webstory
In prep
• “Ecophysiological differences among understory algae; a model for benthic productivity” – Spector, McHugh, and Edwards
Memberships and Associations
•The Natural History Club, San Diego State University 2017 - 2018
-Secretary (2017-2018)
•Smartfin® Outreach and Education Committee, Surfrider Foundation 2017 - 2019
-Committee Member
•Project Pegasus 2017 - 2018
-Founder, project leader
•Marine Ecology and Biology Student Association, San Diego State University 2015 - 2018
-Seminar Coordinator (2016-2018)
•The Explorers Club, New York 2015 - Present
-Student Member
•The Natural History Club, San Diego State University 2017 - 2018
-Secretary (2017-2018)
•Smartfin® Outreach and Education Committee, Surfrider Foundation 2017 - 2019
-Committee Member
•Project Pegasus 2017 - 2018
-Founder, project leader
•Marine Ecology and Biology Student Association, San Diego State University 2015 - 2018
-Seminar Coordinator (2016-2018)
•The Explorers Club, New York 2015 - Present
-Student Member
Grants, Awards, and Presentations
•Mabel Myers Memorial Scholarship; SDSU - 2017
•Graduate Equity Grant; SDSU 2017
•Young Explorers Grant; The Explorers Club - 2016
•The Myers Trust Grant; Myers Trust Foundation - 2016
•Jordan D. Covin Memorial Scholarship; SDSU - 2016
•Harold & June Grant Memorial Scholarship; SDSU - 2016
•Our World Underwater Scholarship Society®; National Park Service Internship - 2015
•Alaska Marine Science Symposium; Poster Presentation - 2018
•Western Society of Naturalists; Contributed Talk - 2017, 2018
•Our World Underwater Scholarship Society®; Symposium Presentation - 2016
•Western Society of Naturalists; Poster Presentation - 2015/2016
•Undergraduate Student Symposium Presentation (UCSC) - 2011/2012
•Mabel Myers Memorial Scholarship; SDSU - 2017
•Graduate Equity Grant; SDSU 2017
•Young Explorers Grant; The Explorers Club - 2016
•The Myers Trust Grant; Myers Trust Foundation - 2016
•Jordan D. Covin Memorial Scholarship; SDSU - 2016
•Harold & June Grant Memorial Scholarship; SDSU - 2016
•Our World Underwater Scholarship Society®; National Park Service Internship - 2015
•Alaska Marine Science Symposium; Poster Presentation - 2018
•Western Society of Naturalists; Contributed Talk - 2017, 2018
•Our World Underwater Scholarship Society®; Symposium Presentation - 2016
•Western Society of Naturalists; Poster Presentation - 2015/2016
•Undergraduate Student Symposium Presentation (UCSC) - 2011/2012