Sara Jean Luse
California State University, Chico
Chico, CA 95929
[email protected]
[email protected]
EDUCATION
Masters of Science, Biological Sciences Expected Graduation May 2014
California State University, Chico
Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences August 2009
Northern Kentucky University
Relevant coursework includes:
- Biogeography
- Biological Literature and Research
- Ecology
- Genetics, Cell, and Molecular Biology
- Introduction to Marine Science
- Limnology
- Techniques in Biological Science
- Mammalogy
- Microbiology
- Research in Biological Science
- Seminars in Biological Science
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
River Explorer Educator
Ohio River Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio Fall 2010-Spring 2012
- Taught a variety of lectures to students, 4th to 12th grade, with over twenty students per session
- Educated students on water conservation, chemistry, fish species, macroinvertebrates, bio-indicators, etc.
- Responsible for lecture portion and lab portion for each group of students
Teacher Assistant
Biological Science Department, Northern Kentucky University Fall 2008
- Teacher assistant for the Microbiology Laboratory course to over twenty students
- Planned lessons and taught specific laboratories
- Responsible for grading tests, quizzes, notebooks, and assignments
- Conducted exam review sessions for students who needed additional help outside of class hours
- Acted as a mentor for Microbiology students
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Student Biological Researcher
Northern Kentucky University Summer 2007
- Traveled to Belize with Dr. Acosta to research and study the effects of commercial fishing on coral reef habitats
- Tagged various species of the Spiny Lobster family and Conch family to annually track the population and dispersal of these species
- Surveyed fisherman and their daily catch
- Collected all data, and with the help of my teacher, Dr. Charles Acosta, wrote and published a research paper on the importance of the conservation of coral reef species on the Belize Coral Reef
Student Biological Researcher
Northern Kentucky University Fall 2008
- Studied various fresh water ecosystems in order to discover the most productive habitat for growing diatoms
- With the assistance of the microbiology students, twenty microcosms were created and observed over the course of the semester. Each microcosm was altered by adding different pH levels, salinity, sewage, nutrients, phosphorus, iodine, and more. Every week, students analyzed the different prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and algae living in their microcosms
- The goal of this experiment was to determine which habitats were best suited for growing diatoms
- Allows researchers to become more aware of where natural diatoms are thriving
- These fresh water diatoms can be used as an alternative oil resource and can become very beneficial to science advancements
LABORATORY TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS
- Laboratory field notebook/ worked as part of a lab team
- Bright field compound microscopes, inverted microscopes, dark field, fluorescence, DIC, phase contrast microscopes, scanning electron microscopes
- Experience trapping, handling, and tagging different aquatic species
- Tracked population migratory patterns and dispersal over time
- Skilled snorkeler
- Isolated quantification and cultivation of coliforms and other bacteria of significance in aquatic ecosystems
- Applied limnology such as aquaculture and job opportunities in the aquatic ecology field
- Excellence in major groups of microorganisms, their classifications and structure and function of microbial cells and viruses
- Aseptic techniques for the isolation, cultivation and maintenance of bacterial cultures
- Basic identification techniques for bacteria, fungi, protista, and microscopic invertebrates
- Differential staining techniques for bacteria: gram stain, spore stain, capsule stain, and cyst stain
- Isolation and cultivation of bacteriophages, DNA extraction, restriction enzymes, gel electrophoresis, plasmid transformation, standard plate counts, spectrophotometric methods and reductase tests
- Techniques for evaluating antibiotics, antiseptics, disinfectants, and microbial growth using UV radiation
- Oligodynamic action of metals, autoclaving, membrane filtration, serological techniques including ELISA and serological typing, fermentation techniques, etc.
COMPUTER SKILLS: Microsoft Word and Excel, Adobe PageMaker, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Safari, Epson large printers, Epson C84, Epson 1280, Adobe Photoshop Cs, Mac Computers OS10, PC Windows XP, Internet Explorer, Microsoft PowerPoint and Publisher