This summer, Kalia joined four other students, postdocs, and scientists from around the country on the R/V Blue Heron (https://scse.d.umn.edu/blue-heron) to participate in the UNOLS Chief Scientist Training program. After some very helpful seminars and discussions about marine operations and how to best utilize the resources available through the Academic Fleet, trainees were given the opportunity to try their hand at cruise planning and logistics. The “chief-scientists-in-training” learned how to effectively balance the sampling needs of projects ranging from optical oceanography to biological/chemical limnology. Kalia’s project focused on collecting benthic amphipods (Diporeia) for microscopy work (i.e. attempting to visualize a viral genotype in tissue sections). She was successful in collecting Diporeia from several stations in Lake Superior. They hit some bad weather in Lake Michigan, and when the dinner plates began levitating, the Captain decided to shelter in a nearby bay. Though they came up short on Diporeia from Lake Michigan, Jim Watkins (https://dnr.cals.cornell.edu/people/james-watkins) helped us out by sharing some of his archived Diporeia for our study. Thanks, Jim!

Publications from this work:

Bistolas KSI., Rudstam L.G., Hewson I., (2017) “Gene expression of benthic amphipods (genus: Diporeia) in relation to a circular ssDNA virus across two Laurentian Great Lakes” PeerJ, 5:e3810