The Centre for Biofouling Research (CBR) at St. Francis Xavier University is seeking one or two research technicians. Our fundamental and applied research program explores both marine biofouling (the growth of unwanted organisms on marine infrastructure) and novel low-toxicity approaches to antifouling (the mitigation of biofouling). The technician(s) will help coordinate and participate in several ongoing research projects with respect to biofouling and environmentally-friendly antifouling. The position(s) will be primarily focused on supporting our research projects in collaboration with GIT Coatings, who are developing graphene-based coatings. Projects will include both field trials of newly developed coatings and lab-based toxicity assays. The technician will work as part of the biofouling team of students, all working with the supervision of Dr. Russell Wyeth. Activities working towards completion of the project will entail working as a group to plan and implement field and lab work, undertake sampling, and, once completed, prepare oral and written communications about the project(s). Administrative tasks in support of the supervisor will also be involved, as well as opportunities to engage with other active research projects.

Duties and responsibilities

• help the project lead with overall organization of research activities
• help with specific project planning and administration
• team work with other student researchers
• data analysis
• materials and equipment management
• help with report and manuscript writing
• communicate with other stakeholders in the fields of biofouling and antifouling

Essential knowledge and skills

• ability to work independently
• meticulous organization
• time management
• effective oral and written communication

Desirable knowledge and skills:

• principles of marine biofouling
• antifouling technologies
• research experience
• reading and summarizing scientific literature
• digital photography
• toxicity tests
• brine shrimp culture
• image processing
• digital video production
• software: MS Excel, SPSS, R
• statistical analysis
• scientific presentation
• scientific writing
• marine field work experience

Education and/or Certification required

• Bachelor of Science
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) or Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)

Position Details and Application Procedures

• Either one or two positions available, depending on funding
• Eligibility: applicants must be completing a science degree or have graduate from a science degreee within the last 18 months.
• Start date: Aug 6, 2024 or later (some flexibility)
• Salary: $17/hour
• Duration: 4 months minimum, extendable upon review for up to at least 12 months
• Remote work possible, but at least some in-person work preferred
• Deadline: review of applications will begin July 17, and continue until position(s) filled

To apply, please send a transcript, resume, and cover letter to Russell Wyeth – rwyeth@stfx.ca

The cover letter should summarize:

• your interest in the position
• relevance of your experience
• the graduation date and discipline of your most recent science degree
• your citizenship/immigration status in Canada

Post #2 in a series from students working in the Wyeth lab this summer. Next up are Ryan Bergman, James Hanlon and Aidan McGowan, who are surveying juvenile lobster behaviour in the near shore environments around the southern Gulf of St. Lawerence. 

Our research focuses on s juvenile lobster abundance and behavior along the Scallop Buffer Zone. These protected zones along Nova Scotia’s northern coastline encompass pristine habitat for juvenile lobsters, which tend to settle in complex rocky habitats. Using underwater videography, we aim to explore the distribution of juvenile lobsters along the Scallop Buffer Zone. Additionally, we aim to use these videos to learn about the behavioral patterns of juvenile lobsters in the presence of bait. 

After selecting a beach to survey for lobsters, we head into the field and setup our cameras. To position them in the water, the cameras are placed on tripods made from metal poles roughly 2 meters tall. We then carry them into the water, attach buoys to the head and leg poles, and swim the tripod out as it floats in the water. In wetsuits and snorkeling gear, we search for ideal filming locations that lobsters may settle – for example, near the edges of seaweed and over rock piles. 

Filming over four hours of footage each day, we analyze our video data by first counting and measuring the size of lobsters. This allows us to identify habitats that juvenile lobsters frequently use and find beach sites that provide such favorable conditions. Using this contextual data, we will then document the behaviors of the juveniles as they are drawn out of their shelters with bait. This will us to classify how juvenile’s behaviour varies across different habitats and population densities. 

Post #1 in a series of posts from students working in the Wyeth lab this summer. First up is Lexy Reinhardt, who is collecting data for her MSc thesis focused on the navigation behaviour of the sea slug Hermissenda crassicornis. Take it away Lexy…

Dr. Wyeth and I are currently at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre collecting underwater videos of sea slugs in their natural habitat for my MSc thesis. My ongoing research project focuses on the behavior and navigation of Hermissenda crassicornis, commonly known as the thick-horned nudibranch. 

For the past three weeks, we have undertaken daily SCUBA dives to deploy and recover underwater video cameras mounted on tripods. These cameras are strategically placed to capture video of the nudibranchs as they move through their natural environment.

The high-quality video, the likes of which have never been captured before, will enable us to conduct detailed analyses of movement patters and also contribute to the broader understanding of Hermissenda crassicornis behaviour. Though we are still in the early stages of data collection, we’ve already begun to observe some intriguing patterns and behaviours! 

In the coming weeks, we will continue our daily dives and video recordings. Our goal is to gather a comprehensive set of videos that will allow us to identify specific navigational trends and behavioural characteristics associated with different flow environments and chemical stimulus sources. 

We are thrilled with our progress so far and look forward to sharing more detailed findings as our project advances. Stay tuned for further updates!

We just finished another good trip to the annual Canadian Society of Zoologists meeting. Moncton this year, which meant we could road trip it! Mike Murtaugh (MSc student) talked about his work exploring the consequences of a low levels of ultraviolet light on biofouling communities. Gavin Hiltz (Honours student) presented his work on developing a baseline behavioural survey of juvenile lobsters in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Victoria Tweedie-Pitre (Honours student) presented her study using in situ HCR of neural-specific gene expression in the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. Russell also presented on a closely related topic, collaborating with Roger Croll at Dalhousie on exploring octopaminergic neuroanatomy. Alongside the usual conference stuff (fun, interesting science) we snuck in a side trip to the spectacular Bay of Fundy.

Honours students Gavin Hiltz and Victoria Tweedie-Pitre are graduating today! Both did fantastic work on their theses over the last year. Gavin worked on developing a field survey of juvenile lobster behaviour with underwater video and Victoria worked on adding in situ hybridization chair reaction to our repertoire of techniques for gastropod neuroanatomy.

NOTE: THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED!

We are looking for an enthusiastic, responsible, and hard-working individual to fill the position of Research Technician. The position will entail full time hours, blending farm visits, lab and office work for data compilation and analysis, and on-farm work to learn the operations of the new technology. Field work will travel to 4 other aquaculture sites across the Maritimes, with travel expenses reimbursed (including overnight stays, when needed). Office-based work will focus on data management and analysis, synthesis and writing a report on the research findings. Finally, throughout, a key aspect to project success is that the incumbent will learn the operation of these new technologies through on-farm work, both to provide important context for the research project and the final report, and also to facilitate communication with our study partners and the wider oyster aquaculture community.

Please see the full job description, preferred qualifications, and application procedure here.

Kudos to Makayla, winning the Biology communication award for posters at this years Science Atlantic Undergraduate Biology Conference! Makayla’s Honours thesis focused on detailed descriptions and quantification of the movement patterns of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. The overarching goal is to understand odour-based navigation strategies in the snails, and Makayla’s research lays the groundwork for experiments that can hopefully tease apart the strategies the snails may be using.

NOTE: THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED [updated March 2024]

Interested in aquatic animal behaviour, with practical implications for sustainable fisheries and marine conservation?

Interested in building expertise in a range of techniques, including field work (snorkeling or SCUBA), Remotely Operated Vehicle use, and machine-learning-assisted video analysis of behavioural observations?

Our research is focused on building a more detailed understanding of juvenile lobster behaviour. We have developed tripod-mounted underwater camera systems that are effective at recording lobster behaviours in their natural habitat. The cameras provide unprecedented detail over durations far longer (up to 9 h of recording time) than has been achieved in past studies via SCUBA or other methods.  To date, we have focused on foraging behaviours of adult lobsters.  Our goal now is to shift our focus to juvenile lobsters behaviour and behavioural ecology.  Additional observations are planned using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).

Our primary goal is to establish a baseline data set of juvenile lobster behaviour.  The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has recently created a series of marine protected areas in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Scallop Buffer Zones exclude scallop dragging, and are designed to protect juvenile lobster habitat. Our behavioural work will establish a baseline for on-going monitoring of juvenile lobsters into the future.  The behavioural data will be combined with additional population density surveys to assess the effectiveness of the marine protected areas, to help manage the lobster fishery, and to monitor the possible effects of climate change on the lobster population. 

Position start date: Jan 2024 or May 2024

For further information or to apply, contact Dr. Russell Wyeth: rwyeth@stfx.ca

Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Sustainable Anti-biofouling Technologies

• Are you passionate about developing sustainable solutions to environmental challenges in trillion-dollar ocean industries?

• Are you interested in developing interdisciplinary skills in collaboration with experts from industry and academia?

Memorial University of Newfoundland-Grenfell Campus and St. Francis Xavier University, through funding from the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), Mitacs and industrial collaborator Graphite Innovation and Technologies (GIT), are recruiting a Post-Doctoral Fellow to develop cutting edge anti-biofouling technologies for ocean industries in Atlantic Canada.

For more information and how to apply, please click here.

We’re in the news! Hakai magazine has a big article about the complexities of the bait issue in lobster harvesting. Our research on lobster foraging responses is highlighted as part of the varied efforts being put towards alternative bait adoption in the fishery. Hopefully this can help build some momentum towards switching to more sustainable bait options in the long run. Big kudos to the small army of students who have worked on the project over the years: Grace, Rachel, Michelle, Gavin, Laura, James, Aidan, Megan, Max, and Lia, and thanks to Moira Donovan for the article.