Scientific Interests

Lindsey K. Deignan

[e-mail]

Department of Biology & Marine Biology

University of North Carolina Wilmington

601 S. College Road

Wilmington, NC 28403 USA

Scientific Interests

Coral reef ecology; spatial ecology; sponge ecology; genetic distribution of species; microbial symbiosis; biodiversity theory; conservation

Education

August 2011-Present University of North Carolina Wilmington, PhD Candidate of Marine Biology

August 2004-May 2007 University of Tampa, Bachelors of Science in Marine Science/Biology, Magna Cum Laude

June 2006 School for Field Studies, Turks and Caicos Islands, South Caicos
Professional Experience

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Summer 2011-2016 Research Assistant – University of North Carolina Wilmington

Conducted field work in Key Largo, Florida, The Bahamas, Mexico, and Belize including three research cruises using SCUBA; Aquanaut in Aquarius research station 2011 and 2012

January-December 2010 Fire Ecology Technician/Crew Leader – University of Hawaii at Manoa

Surveyed grasslands and monitored native plant restoration site

August-October 2009 Marine Biologist – Oceans Watch, Vanuatu

Traveled by sailboat throughout Vanuatu conducting Reef Check coral reef surveys with snorkel and SCUBA; Lead conservation talks in remote communities; Trained and lead local volunteers to assist with reef surveys; Conducted a crown-of-thorn removal in Nguna Pele MPA

March-July 2009 Fisheries Technician – Oregon State University

Tagged juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags; Collected and proofed data on fish including weight, length, condition of the fish, and photographs; Participated in Caspian tern chick banding

September 2007- Biologist – Delta Seven, Inc. Environmental Consulting

December 2008 Performed data entry and analysis using Excel, Quattro, and Primer, report writing, exotic plant removal by herbicide application, plant and fish identification from photographs and field specimens

April-June 2008 Research Intern - ECOSARA, San Rafael Reserve, Paraguay

Designed and implemented the first study of the fish populations in the San Rafael Reserve

May-August 2007 Biologist Intern - Delta Seven, Inc. Environmental Consulting,

Conducted surveys of fish populations, seagrass, and water quality; Collected and sorted Ponar samples

September- Field Assistant – University of Tampa

December 2006 Conducted capture-mark-recapture sampling of seahorses and pipefish

Publications

Pawlik, J.R. and Deignan, L.K. (2015) Cowries graze verongid sponges on Caribbean reefs. Coral Reefs, 34: 663

Deignan, L.K. and Pawlik, J.R. (2015) Perilous proximity: Does the Janzen-Connell hypothesis explain the distribution of giant barrel sponges on a Florida coral reef? Coral Reefs, 34: 561-567
Oral Presentations

Deignan, L.K., Pawlik, J. (2016) Caribbean sponge pathology – the diagnosis is not always simple. 13^th International Coral Reef Symposium. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Deignan, L.K., Lopez-Legentil, S., Pawlik, J. (2016) Fine-scale spatial and size-structured genetic relatedness of the Caribbean giant barrel sponge Xestospongia muta. 45^th Benthic Ecology Meeting. Portland, Maine, USA.

Deignan, L.K., White, J.W., Lopez-Legentil, S., Pawlik, J. (2015) Testing the Janzen-Connell hypothesis with fine-scale spatial and genetic analyses of the distribution of Caribbean giant barrel sponges. 100^th Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Deignan, L.K., Pawlik, J. (2015) Population Demographics of the Caribbean brown tube sponge, Agelas tubulata. 44^th Benthic Ecology Meeting. Quebec City, Canada.

Deignan, L.K., Pawlik, J. Gleason, A. (2014) Understanding Distribution: mapping the spatial relationships of giant barrel sponges. 43^rd Benthic Ecology Meeting. Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

Deignan, L.K., Pawlik, J. (2013) Connecting the dots: examining the spatial relationships of giant barrel sponges. 42^nd Benthic Ecology Meeting. Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Deignan, L.K., Pawlik, J. (2012) Perilous proximity: does the Janzen-Connell hypothesis explain dispersion among giant barrel sponges? 41^st Benthic Ecology Meeting. Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Poster Presentations

Ellsworth, L., Ammondt, S., Deignan, L.K., Litton, C., and Kauffman, J.B. (2010) Managing the grass-wildfire cycle in guinea grassland ecosystems of leeward Oahu, Hawai’i. Hawai’i Conservation Conference. Honolulu, Hawai’i, USA.

Academic Awards and Scholarships

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  Cumulative academic scholarships and awards: $54,250
  
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February, July 2016 UNCW Graduate School Travel Award $600

February 2012-2016 Biology Graduate Student Association Travel Award $100

February 2012-2015 UNCW Graduate School Travel Award $400

June 2015 Southern Association of Marine Laboratories Student Support Award $200

November 2015 Southern Association of Marine Laboratories Student Support Award $250

August 2014 David D. Lindquist Scholarship in Biology $500

August 2013 Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology Merit Scholarship $500

August 2012 John Colucci Jr. Memorial Scholarship $5,000

August 2012 Owen Graham Kenan Scholarship $6,500

November 2011 James Mulligan Fellowship in Marine Biology $500

August 2011 Owen Graham Kenan Scholarship$7,500

August 2004 Presidential Scholarship, University of Tampa $30,000

Teaching Experience

Fall 2011-Present BIO 202L – Biodiversity Lab, Teaching Assistantship, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Spring 2016-Present BIO 202 – Biodiversity Lecture, Teaching Assistantship, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Spring 2007 CHE 155 – General Chemistry II, Lab Assistant, University of Tampa
Certifications

AAUS Diver

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

American Red Cross CPR/First Aid and Oxygen Provider

Organization Membership

January 2014-Present Surfrider Foundation, Cape Fear Chapter Vice Chair

August 2011-Present Biology Graduate Student Association, UNCW, member

August 2013-May 2015 Graduate Advisory Committee, PhD Candidate Representative

October 2008-2009 Tampa Bay Association of Environmental Professionals, member

September 2006-May 2007 Beta Beta Beta Biological Honors Society, national member

Other Skills

Experience with R, Matlab, ArcGIS, GENEPOP, Arlequin, Structure, SPAGeDi, PeakScanner, Micro-checker, Mothur, Primer, ImajeTool and Fiji image analysis software.

Graduate Advisor

Joseph R. Pawlik, Professor

UNCW Center for Marine Science

5600 Marvin K Moss Lane

Wilmington, NC 28409 USA

[e-mail]

Office: [phone]

Cell: [phone]

Additional Reference

Susanna López-Legentil, Assistant Professor

UNCW Center for Marine Science

5600 Marvin K Moss Lane

Wilmington, NC 28409 USA

[e-mail]

Office: [phone]

Lab: [phone]