Currently, Jordan is a graduate student researcher at the University of Washington. Previously he was Senior Lab Technician for the Charles and Aluwihare labs.

Please check his website for more up to date information here: www.theeighthcontinent.com

 

Curriculum Vitae

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Jordan Thomas Watson

E-mail: jordanthomas (at sign) yahoo.com, jordan2 (at sign) u.washington.edu

Education B.S. Chemistry (GPA 3.93), University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). 2000.

Currently attending the University of Washington

Experience

Staff Research Assistant II Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO)

July 2004 –

Mass spectroscopic analysis of aragonite coral cores to continue the on-going construction of records of ENSO and tropical Pacific climate over the last millennium. Current duties consist of sample collection (Christmas Island, Republic of Kiribati), preparation and analysis (via mass spec), and mass spec maintenance. Additional duties include logistical preparations for field work in the Pacific and laboratory management.

Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Charles

 

Volunteer Teacher Australian Aid for Cambodia Fund

Apr. 2004 – June 2004

Teaching, developing curricula and writing course notes (ie, the text) for an agriculture program at Maharishi Vedic University in rural Cambodia. Courses taught: Soil Science, Principles of Soil Care.

 

Field Research Assistant Polar Oceans Research Group, U.S. Antarctic Program (U.S.A.P.)

Dec. 2003 – Feb. 2004

Field data collection for the seabird ecology component of the Palmer LTER project (Palmer Station, Antarctica); bird censes of Adelie penguins, southern giant petrels & skuas (south polar and brown); radio telemetry and satellite tag deployment; petrel chick banding; penguin diet sampling; data management (using Excel & Dbase).

Supervisor: Dr. Bill Fraser

 

Trainee/ Volunteer U.S. Peace Corps

June. 2003 – Aug. 2003

Completion of training as a coastal resource management volunteer for Peace Corps Vanuatu; I was trained in the use of rural community appraisals, development of livelihood projects, and cultural adaptation; in addition to holding workshops and village discussions on environmental and coastal resource management.

Supervisor: Ron Savage

 

Staff Research Assistant I/ Lab Manager Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) May 2002-May 2003

Developed a new method for the extraction and isolation of nucleic acids from marine bacteria for radiocarbon analyses. The project involved culturing bacteria from surface waters and optimizing cell lysis and extraction techniques for nucleotides and nucleic acids, while focusing on isotopic purity/radiocarbon contamination. Sea time was utilized for the collection and concentration of DOM and DOC from the Benguela Upwelling Zone. Additional duties included laboratory management and maintenance and procurement of laboratory supplies and equipment.

Supervisor: Dr. Lihini Aluwihare

 

Marine Science Technician Raytheon Polar Services Co. and U.S.A.P. Nov 2001- Feb 2003

Coordinated laboratory operations and logistics aboard ARSV Laurence M. Gould during Antarctic research cruises; managed hazardous and radioactive waste ( 14C and 3H); collected and analyzed seawater samples; assisted scientists with the maintenance and deployment of laboratory and sampling equipment; supervised international shipping of scientific samples; troubleshot and repaired scientific equipment while at sea.

Supervisor: Bob Kluckhohn and Grantee scientists (grantee references on request).

Laboratory Assistant II SIO and U.S.A.P. Feb 2002 – Mar 2002

Sampled water (CTD, PRR, ring nets, Go-FLO casts) via zodiacs (from Palmer Station, Antarctica) and performed laboratory analyses of phytoplankton productivity based on simulated in situ 14C uptake experiments. Further investigations included seawater analyses for chlorophyll concentration (fluorometry), phytoplankton identification (microscopy), pigment analysis (HPLC), and CHN ratios.

Supervisor: Dr. Maria Vernet & Wendy Kozlowski

Laboratory Assistant II UCSB Marine Science Institute and U.S.A.P. Dec 2000- Oct 2001

Antarctic zooplankton studies were performed with special emphasis on krill (Euphausia superba) behavior and physiology (growth rates, spawning frequency, feeding selectivity, respiration). Winter research also included SCUBA observations of larval krill behavior beneath the seasonal ice pack. Field work was performed via small boats from Palmer Station and from research vessels.

Supervisors: Dr. Robin Ross & Dr. Langdon Quetin

Laboratory Assistant I UCSB Marine Science Institute June 2000 – Dec 2000

Performed SCUBA transects for a long-term effort to determine the ecological role of off-shore drilling platforms on rocky reef fishes of Southern California. Identified and quantified rockfish species and surveyed benthic transects for invertebrate and algae communities. Collected underwater video data and performed laboratory data/video analyses.

Supervisors: Dr. Milton Love & Donna Schroeder

Research Diver UCSB Marine Science Institute Dec 1999 – Dec 2000

Established and maintained underwater substrates (via SCUBA) for a larval recruitment study on offshore drilling platforms.

Supervisor: Dr. Mark Page & Jason Bram (graduate student)

Undergraduate Research Assistant UCSB Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Dec 1998 – June 2000

Collected Southern California marine algae, followed by chemical extraction and structure determination of polyunsaturated fatty acids, using organic techniques (GC-MS, HPLC and NMR). Developed a method for the adsorption of chloroperoxidase onto mesoporous silicate materials, followed by kinetics and stability assays with UV-VIS spectroscopy.

Supervisor: Dr Alison Butler, Dr. Yong Han, Jayme Carter

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Jun 1999-Sep 1999

Determined pH-dependent oxidation kinetics of cobalt-EDTA complexes; utilized trace metal clean technique to quantify picomolar cobalt concentrations from the Sargasso Sea using cathodic stripping and cyclic voltammetry; investigated 57Co and 59Fe uptake by prochlorococcus.

Supervisor: Dr. Jim Moffett & Dr. Mak Saito

Publications and Presentations

Watson, J.T. 2004. Soil Science: An Introduction to the soils of Cambodia. Maharishi Vedic University, Cambodia.

Numerous teaching presentations on SCUBA diving, chemistry, biology, mathematics, soil science, principles of soil care and marine science (1997-2004).

Han, Y.J., J.T. Watson, G.D. Stucky, A. Butler. 2002. Catalytic activity of mesoporous silicate-immobilized chloroperoxidase. J. Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic 17: 1-8.

“Antarctica and Its Impending Environmental Issues.” (2000-2002). Primary and secondary school outreach presentation given numerous times.

Watson J. T., M.A. Saito, J.W. Moffett. pH dependent oxidation kinetics of cobalt-EDTA complexes. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department Seminar, September 1999.

Honors/ Certificates

Golden Key National Honor Society (2000)

Outstanding Student in Physical Chemistry (1999)

NSF/ Quest Research Internship for Science and Engineering (1999)

American Chemical Society (ACS) Analytical Chemistry Award (1999)

Ralph Kilb Undergraduate Research Fellowship (declined, 1999)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (1999)

University of California Regents grant for Early Academic Outreach (1999)

Eagle Scout (1992).

Certifications

University of California Radioisotope User (2002)

OSHA 24 Hour HAZWOPER training (2001)

U.S.A.P. Research/Ice Diving (2001)

University of California Research Diving (1999)

NAUI SCUBA Diving Instructor (1998)

ASHI First Aid/ CPR Instructor (1998)

DAN O 2 Provider (1994+)

IANTD Nitrox Diver (1994)

Relevant Skills/Activities

Extensive at-sea experience with oceanographic equipment deployment and use (XBT, CTD, PRR, acoustic fishes, MOC-NESS, ring and square nets, salinometry, fluorometry, O 2 titrators, sediment/coral coring)

Laboratory and ship-board experience with stable and radioisotopes ( 14, 13C, 18O, 3H, 57Co, 59Fe)

Extensive experience monitoring and identifying marine organisms of Southern California and Antarctica

Small boat handling

Organic laboratory techniques (organic extractions, mass spectrometry, HPLC, IR, NMR, nutrient uptake, cell lysis, DNA isolation, bacteria and phytoplankton culturing, TOC/TN analyses)

Video and photographic microscopy

Underwater videography

Scuba equipment repair

Extensive teaching experience

Proficiency with MS Office

Languages English, Bislama (national language of Vanuatu), Spanish (intermediate)

Sea/Cruise Experience (additional field experience on request)

References on request.