AVÀÇÂÛ̳

• Russell Hopcroft

As an undergrad I was always fascinated by invertebrates. I volunteered in a lab where I worked with ctenophores, phytoplankton, and even an anemone from the Gulf of Mexico. My undergraduate summer labs, also on the Gulf, allowed us to learn different sampling techniques in the field as well as see different disciplines of marine science in action. In the fall of 2019 I had the opportunity to join a research cruise in the Gulf of AVÀÇÂÛ̳ where I got to experience firsthand the unique conditions and sampling that have been happening long-term in the gulf. I now begin my journey as a graduate student, becoming a part of the NGA LTER project.

• Marine invertebrates

I am looking at larvacean and pteropod populations in the Gulf of AVÀÇÂÛ̳ from 2012 to 2021 (eventually) along the Seward Line.