Graduate students and alumni snag top NSF fellowships

Conser graduated from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami in 2019 as a triple major in marine sciences, biology and mathematics. She had several opportunities to engage in research as an undergraduate, working in a lab on campus, interning with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and even studying at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology as part of a Research Experience for Undergraduates experience.

She started her Ph.D. in fall 2021, working in the Plankton Ecology Lab through the Hatfield Marine Science Center. Working with faculty mentors Su Sponaugle and Robert Cowen, Conser studies how seasonal hypoxia, or dead zones in the ocean caused by low oxygen, affects the growth, diet and survival of larval and juvenile flatfishes off the Oregon coast. As the ocean warms due to climate change, hypoxia events are becoming more common and lasting longer.

Conser is focusing her research on flatfish in particular because of their reliance on the seafloor, where oxygen levels can often be lowest. “Flatfish are basically sideways fish, with eyes on just one side of their head,” said Conser. As larvae, flatfish drift through the water, but as they reach the juvenile phase, they settle to the sea floor where they grow and develop. This movement towards the seafloor means that juvenile flatfish are exposed to hypoxic waters, potentially inhibiting their growth.

“As of now, we don’t really know how larval and juvenile fish will respond to hypoxia,” she said. Small changes in growth and mortality of fish in their early days can have compounding effects on the adult population.

“I have always had an interest in the interactions between physical and biological phenomena,” said Conser. “I love being out on the water and doing field work. In March, I went on a two-week research cruise with my lab, and I had a lot of fun spending so much time immersed in science.”

Conser also likes the opportunity to involve undergraduate students in her research. “This summer, I’ll be doing regular field work that six undergraduates will be helping me with,” she said.

Working under Wei Kong, chemistry department head, Clifford’s research focuses on using Serial Single molecule Electron Diffraction Imaging, or ss-EDI, to explore the structure of proteins. The majority of proteins have structures that remain a mystery. Existing methods have limitations that prevent them from being used. By using the ss-EDI technique, he hopes to surmount these challenges. This technique uses electrons to take several pictures of a molecule in different orientations to capture its structure. “I hope to work on different-orienting molecules using a laser with elliptical polarization,” he said.

Clifford graduated from the College of Idaho where he studied chemistry and mathematics. He was also member of the swim team where he earned multiple All-America honors and set several school records.

Clifford chose to come to Oregon State for his Ph.D. because of the supportive research environment. “I was impressed with how kind and inviting Dr. Kong and the other physical chemistry PIs were. I also love Corvallis and how accessible cycling, hiking, fishing and surfing are,” said Clifford. One unexpected perk of campus has been seeing the many flowering trees and bushes bloom in the spring. “I’m tragically allergic to them, but they are beautiful.”

Clifford is also the recipient of the Provost’s Distinguished Fellowship and Scholarship.