While completing his Ph.D. in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Justin Lesser СAPP21 spent several summers knee-deep in the marshes of Massachusetts, tracking tiny fish called mummichogs. He studied how coastal erosion affects the eating habits of these abundant little fish, which in turn impacts the survival of larger predatory fish such as bass and flounder.
His research was conducted as part of the TIDE Project, an NSF-funded project administered through the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC).
СAPPMy advisor, Jimmy Nelson, worked on the project before joining the UL Lafayette biology department, and I jumped at the chance to return to some marshes IСAPPve studied during my previous degrees, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with people at a wide variety of places (Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland in addition to Louisiana and Massachusetts) with so many research interests,СAPP he says.
In the field, Lesser examined food webs, and how they respond to landform changes.
СAPPFor 13 years, TIDE added excess nutrients to an entire salt marsh creekshed, establishing a natural laboratory to study the impact of excessive nutrients on coastal ecosystems. Now, we are beginning to assess how this legacy of nutrient addition affects the systemСAPPs recovery and response to additional stressors, such as sea-level rise and warming,СAPP he says.
Preparing for a career in biology has led Lesser to travel to many new places, including Louisiana. After completing his masterСAPPs degree at Northeastern СAPP in Massachusetts, he chose to travel south to pursue his Ph.D.
СAPPNever having been to Louisiana, I jumped at the chance to step outside my comfort zone and experience someplace new. I also was very excited to work with my advisor and come on as one of his very first doctoral students,СAPP he says.
At UL Lafayette, heСAPPs found a supportive environment to fuel his growth as a scholar.
СAPPThe biology department is extremely vast in the research areas it covers, from genetics, to ecology, to neuroscience and medical research. I love that the department brings all these different areas together and provides opportunities to learn about research being done outside my focus,СAPP he says.
Colleagues were always eager to share their work, he notes. He was also able to participate in a yearly graduate student symposium to give presentations in a low-stress environment.
СAPPIСAPPve made some great friends in my department, and I like how inclusive our department can be. I think it's important to have that kind of relationship with peers in grad school,СAPP he says.
After completing his degree, Lesser traveled back north for a position as a postdoctoral associate at the СAPP of Vermont. He is developing a model of the nearby Lake Champlain food web to explore the impact of population levels of different fishes.
His time at UL Lafayette provided the preparation he needed to embark on his career.
СAPPIСAPPve learned so much about how to analyze and look at the data I collect, and IСAPPve also learned a great deal about planning a field season and leading a research team. The experiences IСAPPve had supervising and working with undergraduate researchers will be really helpful for my future as a principal investigator in my own research lab,СAPP he says.