Principal Investigator

Dr. Glass is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. She is also a Research Associate at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity in Makhanda (Grahamstown) South Africa and a Fellow of The Explorers Club.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys traveling, skiing, camping, and trail runs with her dog, Maloti.

Please get in touch if you are interested in joining my lab in Fairbanks, Alaska!

Postdoctoral Fellow

Yin is a dedicated bioinformatician and UAF postdoctoral fellow working in the evolution of cold-tolerance in marine invertebrates, through studying ice-binding proteins (IBPs). Her project focuses on detecting IBP production and mapping their distribution in Arctic and subarctic intertidal invertebrates, specifically echinoderms. Yin earned her PhD in bioinformatics at UiT the Arctic University of Norway, in the field of protein bioinformatics, developing and applying computational techniques to analyze evolution and co-evolution of protein-protein interactions for the prediction of interaction sites.

Yin’s interdisciplinary experience spans computational biology, plant ribosome physiology, environmental microbiology, and human protein biology, supported by roles in both research and teaching. She is passionate about harnessing informatics to address complex biological challenges and is dedicated to sharing her expertise through mentoring students and leading training workshops. In her free time, Yin is an avid trail runner, and climber. In addition to being on land, she loves to be on, in, and under water.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Laura Timm's research interests center on describing the state and flux of genetic diversity and the ways that this information can be used to improve our understanding of species health and stability. She earned her PhD and Masters in Biology at Florida International University, researching phylogenetics and population genetics of crustaceans in the Gulf of Mexico, including giant deep-sea isopods, penaeid shrimp, and midwater decapods. She is now a postdoctoral research fellow focused on developing population genomic approaches to fisheries management. Since moving to Alaska, she has designed a bioinformatic pipeline for generating basic population genomics results from whole genome resequencing data. She has used this tool to investigate population genetic structure in sablefish and an array of rockfish species. Currently, she is investigating population structure in Pacific cod and Pacific herring.

Laura enjoys hiking, recreational media theory (esp. horror), and doing all the voices while reading "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?".

Research Associate

Natalie’s research focuses on using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to study community composition across a variety of organisms. She specializes in bioinformatics, analyzing eDNA from invertebrates and fish to understand their presence and distribution based on the traces of DNA they leave behind in aquatic environments and how environmental factors may influence changes in community composition.
In addition to her research, Natalie is developing well-annotated bioinformatics pipelines to improve the reproducibility and accessibility of eDNA analyses. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of South Florida, where she used metabarcoding and metagenomics to study diverse microbial communities in marine environments, with a primary focus on bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria.

In her free time, Natalie enjoys kayaking, swimming, biking, and playing soccer.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Brandi is a UAF Arctic Leadership Postdoctoral Fellow with the International Arctic Research Center. She is developing and validating the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for natural resource management. She is testing the use of eDNA as a complementary approach to salmon and hard shell clam assessment using quantitative methods such as qPCR and dPCR. She coordinates with tribal communities in three regions of Alaska to co-produce research studies using molecular and genetic approaches. She is also developing a science outreach and consulting business, to teach about the use of eDNA in high school classrooms and in the field.

https://www.brandicronkamermans.com/

https://www.salmongeneducation.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandicronkamermans-6a8681a1/

Lab Manager

Originally from Idaho, Josie graduated with a BS in Biological Sciences from Boise State University. Soon after she started working as a Microbiologist for Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, studying microorganisms that affect salmon and trout health in Idaho’s fisheries. She is planning to pursue a MS in Fisheries and exploring research topics focused on genetic diversity in fish populations, aiming to address issues that will help conservation and management decisions. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, and horseback riding.

Bioinformatics Technician

Noor Wahle recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a background in data science and marine science. She completed the NGA LTER REU program at UAF in 2021, and is currently designing a pipeline to supplement satellite data in the analysis of eDNA estuarine samples from Kachemak Bay and Lynn Canal, Alaska. In her free time, Noor enjoys rock climbing, baking, and tide pooling on the Oregon Coast.

PhD Student, Fisheries

Rachel Lekanoff earned her MS in Oceanography at UAF and her BS in Environmental Science at Western Washington University. She is now a graduate student at UAF CFOS (again!) as a Tamamta fellow pursuing a PhD in Fisheries. In addition to school, she works for the Northern Latitudes Partnerships’ Aleutian Bering Sea Initiative as their Research Coordinator. Through both school and her job, she works closely with Tribal communities on climate resilience, mariculture, and co-production research projects.

Outside of work and school, Rachel is an avid cyclist and cross-country skier and is frequently on the incredible trail networks in and around Anchorage.

MS Student, Fisheries

Sydney is researching the population genomics of Pacific herring in the eastern Bering Sea. She hopes that understanding the population genetic structure of these herring groups can help inform fisheries management decisions. Sydney enjoys cooking, trying new outdoor activities, and relaxing with friends and family.

MS Student, Fisheries

Su graduated with a B.S. in Marine and Coastal Sciences at UC Davis and soon after worked as a Junior Specialist for UCD, studying salmon, smelt, sturgeon, and rockfish. She will be working towards her masters in Fisheries, continuing the development of the Passive eDNA Collection Apparatus (PESCA). When she is not in the lab or the field, she enjoys tidepooling and fishing, creating art, playing PC games, and admiring rockfish.

MS Student, Fisheries

Sof is studying transcriptomic responses to environmental stressors in cultivated Pacific oysters as part of an Alaska Sea Grant-funded project. Originally from Seattle, Sof earned their BS in Marine Biology at the University of Oregon. They are enthusiastic about human connections to the environment, and hope to work with coastal communities on solutions to increase resiliency against the climate crisis. Outside of school, Sof enjoys cooking, dancing, and scuba diving.

MS Student, Fisheries

Maris is a member of the NSF EPSCoR Fire and Ice Coastal Margins team. She uses eDNA metabarcoding to study the community composition of estuarine sites with varying degrees of glacial influence in Lynn Canal and Kachemak Bay, Alaska. In her free time, Maris enjoys rock climbing, hiking with her dog Willow, and reading books!

MS Student, Fisheries

Cheyenne recently graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Marine Biology and a minor in political science. In the future she hopes to use genetics research to inform conservation and policy. Outside of school she loves paddle boarding and baking!

Undergraduate, Fisheries

Rory is an undergrad at the University of Alaska Fairbanks pursuing a B.S. in Fisheries and Marine Sciences and a minor in Military Science and Leadership. Originally from New Mexico, she is looking forward to taking advantage of the unique research and outdoor opportunities that Alaska provides. She is hoping to learn more about genetics and fisheries while working in the lab. In her free time she enjoys reading, knitting, running, and spending time in nature.

Undergraduate, Fisheries

Undergraduate, Biological Sciences

Zoe is an undergrad attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks to get a B.S. in Biological Sciences. She hopes to do further studies in genetics and evolution throughout her college career and eventually move on to do lab and field work to focus on those areas. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, being in the outdoors, and studying Chinese, French, and Japanese.