Today's blog features our youngest scientist, Justin Suca

Justin Suca is a rising senior attending the University of Miami and majoring in Marine Science. He works in our lab (the Early Life History Lab of SEFSC) as a Lab Assistant supporting multiple projects that include identifying fishes and curating our multifaceted datasets. 

Justin collecting H20 from the DCM for pCO2

Justin has been on this cruise for almost 28 days now! In between filtering water, identifying fishes, taking optic measurements and deploying gear, Justin shared with the blog: “I want to gain more experience with field work at sea and I am interested in stable isotope applications for pelagic fishes [especially mahi mahi] for spatio-temporal comparisons and variation with depth. I would like to see if the samples collected in this cruise display 15δN enrichment at increasing depths. The application of physical ocean features to patterns in plankton distribution is another area which this cruise gives me an opportunity to expand my knowledge." 

Justin and Raul looking for tuna and mahi mahi 

"When I began at the lab, I knew very little about larval fish. However, as my knowledge and experience with them has increased over the past two years, it has become a field that I would like to continue to work in, perhaps through a doctorate." 

Mahi Mahi juveniles collected in plankton tows

"I was on last year’s cruise but my overall understanding of the science and reasoning behind the procedures and station plotting is much greater now, making this cruise a valuable experience." 

We will miss Justin as he leaves the cruise to pursue his next science-adventure at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)! We thank Justin for supporting the cruise with his enthusiasm and intoxicating fish-energy!!