It’s that time of year again, when we both welcome new faces into the WyethLab and our field research projects really ramp up. Although the pandemic restrictions mean we haven’t yet been able to actually do any lab or field work yet, lots of preparation is still happening as everyone works remotely. This summer, 14 lab members are making great use of MS Teams and working together on several different projects:

• New students Allanique, Lexie, and Katherine join Katerina and Emmerson on antifouling projects testing graphite-based coatings from Graphite Innovation & Technologies with support from a P&I Voucher. and NRC IRAP and (hopefully) another project following up our earlier work on ultraviolet light as an antifoulant.
• New students Lia, Laura, and Megan, join Michelle and Rachel exploring lobster foraging responses to bait and natural prey, funded by the Atlantic Fisheries Fund. A side project is also going to be testing the potential of acoustic baits, funded by another P&I Voucher.
• Two students are working on snail neuroethology: Carmen will be testing for electrophysiological reponses of chemosensory neurons, while new student Donica is working in collaboration with Roger Croll on catecholamine neuroanatomy.
• Meanwhile, Ella (lobster toxicology) and Areej (snail navigation behaviour) are moving closer every day to defending their MSc theses.

And also an extra thank you to Chelsie Hall, project manager working behind the scenes to help keep things on the straight and narrow!