Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online
Welcome to the Fleet! It’s the near future, the rising tides have swallowed much of the world’s coastlines, and the last survivors of a deadly plague are scattered across a new and vastly different ocean. But all is not well in the Reach. The fish are dwindling, the currents are shifting, and secrets long thought … Read More “Sick of fictional mermaid documentaries? Try some dystopian maritime science fiction, instead!” »
Longtime readers have occasionally humored my attempts at short science fiction stories, the like of which can be found in Eno Magazine and Nature. Writing these short pieces is fun, but there’s a longer story that’s been festering in my head for the better part of a year and it’s finally time to come out.
Welcome to the Fleet.
Fleet is set in the near future, in a world of maximum sea level rise where the human population has been reduced to a few small enclaves and disease outbreaks are rampant and devastating. Amid the hardships, a trio of fishers slowly begin to unlock a long buried mystery that will challenge their loyalty to the fleet and each other.
We arrived in sunny California last Thursday evening after 6 days of driving and more than 3000 miles covered. The goats were delivered to their new yard, where they have settled back down to an enviable routine of eating, sleeping, and headbutting each other. Our little neighborhood in Vallejo is delightful, it not a touch … Read More “#Ocean2Ocean: The final entry.” »
Since I joined Southern Fried Science in 2009, I’ve written almost 1,000 blog posts. This post has unquestionably been the most difficult one for me to write. Although I’ve always enjoyed sharing and debating my opinions (even when they’re unpopular in certain circles,) I’ve never been comfortable discussing negative personal experiences. And yet, I feel that the topic of anti-Semitism in academia , something that is in fact much more pervasive than most non-Jews believe, is too important for me to remain silent any longer. More than 40% of Jewish students reported being the victim of some degree of anti-Semitism at their college or university. This can range from mockery to exclusion to the Michigan State student who was beaten while his attackers made the Nazi salute last summer.
I want to state upfront that it is not my intention in writing this post to start a “which minority group is the most oppressed” competition, nor am I naive enough to believe that my post will be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back and fixes these issues once and for all. I also want to state that while I could write a whole book about my experiences with anti-Semitism in the context of my personal pro-Israel advocacy, this post is not about that, other than to say that while not all criticism of Israel and Israel’s policies and actions can be considered anti-Semitic in nature, some of it certainly can. Finally, it’s important to note that while not all of these examples are necessarily anti-Jewish specifically, all are anti-someone-different-from-me and contrary to a culture of diversity and inclusiveness. My goal is simply to continue an important and ongoing conversation about academic culture by sharing my personal experiences, and perhaps to bring another group into that conversation. Please feel free to share your own experiences in the comments section.
Read More “The Pizza of Privilege: My Experiences with Anti-Semitism in Academia” »
I just returned from the Society for Conservation Biology’s International Congress for Conservation Biology. It was a great meeting, and I learned a lot. It also marked a milestone for me, as although I am just starting the 3rd year of my Ph.D., the ICCB was the 20th scientific conference I’ve attended. Inspired by this milestone, by Josh Drew’s recent post on the subject, and by the excellent graduate student networking workshop held at the ICCB, I wanted to share my tips and tricks for graduate students to get the most out of a conference
Please note that while these tips have served me well and are generally applicable to professional meetings in the sciences, they may not be appropriate for every field or every person’s goals for a conference. Additionally, some may be considered quite basic, but I assure you that I’ve met people (particularly graduate students attending a conference for a first time) who don’t know them. I welcome a discussion in the comments.
Read More “10 Tips for grad students to make the most of a scientific conference” »
Location: Scotts Bluff, NE
Distance Traveled: 1837 miles
Distance Remaining: 1163 miles
MPG: not great.
After replacing the surge-break assembly on the trailer, we resumed the long haul across Missouri, ending the day with a 10 PM arrival at the Diamond B ranch. The goats we’re ready to get out of the car.
Tired, but still wired from too much caffeine and a frustrating day, we made the mistake of turning on the TV to see if there were any good shows on. We discovered something along the lines of Doomsday Castle Builders. I adore Doomsday Preppers and find their mentality absolutely fascinating. However, I adore them in much the same way that I adore the poor one-eyed cat that constantly tries to get into our chicken coop. If there actually were a doomsday, these guys are the last people with which you’d want to be stuck. Anti-social, paranoid, trigger happy — I can’t help but assume the fact that they operate under the assumption that people will immediately resort to roving gangs of murders is less about understanding the human condition and more about projection. The entire mentality of the “prepper” movement necessarily ignores the fact that civilization exists because we’re an inherently cooperative species. It does make for entertaining television.
Actually, on second thought, we’re probably better off if the preppers go lock themselves in bunkers and let the rest of us get on with the business of recovery.
Read More “#Ocean2Ocean: Dorkface has Died of Dysentery Edition” »
Location: Columbia, MO
Distance Traveled: 1119 miles
Distance Remaining: 1881 miles
MPG: 12.8
Status: awaiting repairs
The drive through Indiana and Illinois was long and uneventful. The goats have settled into their routine, and now seem to prefer napping in their crate to climbing in and out of the truck for a walkabout. We did get to see the St. Louis Arch as we drove through town, which the most exciting moment of the drive. Otherwise, we saw plenty of corn.
We stayed the night at the Circle B Ranch, another fabulous horse hotel. No llamas, this time, but the goats were delighted to have a stall to wander around and the horses were very curious about their new barn companions.
This morning, after more than 1000 miles, we finally had our first breakdown, as the surge-break assembly on one of trailer tires rusted out. We’re currently sitting in Columbia, MO awaiting a mechanic to come out and take a look. For what it’s worth, UHaul’s roadside assistance was professional and responsive.
Location: West of Lexington, KY
Distance traveled: 645 miles
Distance remaining: 2355 miles
MPG: 12.2
Last night we checked in to the delightful Sunday Stables, where Luna and Hermione shared a barn (but not a stall) with horses, cats, chickens, and a llama. Susan Sunday was a fabulous host and the goats were glad of solid ground and some room to roam.
We crossed the border into Kentucky earlier this morning, and we greeted with the sight of massive oil refineries as well as an Amazon.com warehouse, very different from the mountains and coal plants of West Virginia.
After 7 hours of driving (North Carolina is a long state), we have crossed the Virginia border. Our departure from coastal NC was marked, inexplicably, by a flock of wild turkeys on the side of 70. Inconveniently, it also happens to be move in week for several Carolina universities; it was slow going through the Triangle.
The goats are calm, but confused.
The time has finally come. After 11 years in North Carolina, I have finally succumbed to the insatiable human desire to venture beyond the horizon. Tomorrow morning, Amy and I will hitch our worldly possessions to my tough old truck and drive west until we reach the Pacific Ocean. And, because we’re 1/4 of Southern Fried Science, we’ll live blog the entire journey. A few FAQ’s before we go: What are you doing in California? Amy has a post-doctoral fellowship at the California Ocean Science Trust, where she’ll be developing a new citizen science initiative. I will be searching for work once I get there. So, if you’re an employer Oakland or the San Francisco Bay area, and need a crack deep sea ecologist, conservation geneticist, or science communicator, please take a look at my Curriculum Vitae. What will happen to your chickens? The chickens have been adopted by a family who will love them and their eggs for years to come. I’ve said my goodbyes to Poly, Tikka, Olga, and Masala. What will happen to your goats? Luna and Hermione are coming with us. What?
Read More “From Ocean to Ocean: The Great Southern Fried Migration” »
