Interviews with Ms. Heloise Chenelot (School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks)

1. Which marine organism is your favorite? What are some interesting facts about that organism? What was one interesting encounter with this organism?

   I really find most marine organisms very fascinating. Every time I look at marine organisms under the microscope, I am amazed and puzzled by their variety in colors and shapes but also by the beauty and bizarreness of some of their details and appendages - polychaetes in particular often have extravagant features that seem to come straight out of fantasy world!Holothurians are definitively amongst my favorites. The variety, complexity, and beauty of their ossicles are amazing. Dissecting and looking at the different species under the microscope is always very exciting. Coming across the species Chiridota was definitively a treat! - It has very "cute" wheel-shaped ossicles.

2. What drew you to work with NaGISA/study coastal marine biology?

   I have always been fascinated by the ocean and the underwater world. The richness and diversity of organisms and habitats in the coastal region is so extensive that there is still a lot more to discover and understand about it. A better understanding of the coastal biodiversity, dynamics and ecology will also help better protect this ecosystem. My work and research interests coincide with the global collaborative perspective and the inventorying and monitoring goals of NaGISA.

3. What parts of your research have been in the field of coastal marine biology?

   I have had opportunities to participate in several oceanographic cruises in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, collecting water, chlorophyll and nutrient samples and deploying moorings. But most of my research experience has been in nearshore habitats. I did my Master's thesis on factors affecting the bulk kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. In addition, I have helped out on several other coastal marine biology projects both in the intertidal and the subtidal. I have also participated in the collection of samples for NaGISA in Prince Williams Sound and Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

4. What recent challenges have you faced in your work, especially your research?

   I am currently working on the identification of the echinoderms collected in Prince William Sound, Kachemak Bay, and Kodiak Island for NaGISA. It is very exciting work but trying to identify organisms to the species level can be quite challenging. There is a steep learning curve - especially when the identification of some species is still being debated among taxonomists! But the fun part is that it is like doing detective work!

5. If a high school student approached you for advice, what kind of path would you recommend for someone interested in coastal biodiversity?

   ...work hard at school, go to college ... but most of all, be passionate, curious, inquisitive and never lose the ability to be amazed.