Teaching
NSF GK12 Fellowship
In the 2009-2010 school year, I was an NSF GK12 fellow. In collaboration with a teacher at University City High, I developed curriculum to connect the 9th grade Earth Science curriculum to the San Diego through monthly field trips to a local canyon. Click here to see a poster about our work. Check out EarthRef for our lesson plans, as well as many other ones developed by GK12 scientists and teachers.
UCSD Academic Connections
In 2008, I taught A Hands On Introduction to the Marine Invertebrates as part of the UCSD Academic Connections pre-college summer program. My co-instructor and I covered the anatomy and life history of the approximately 35 currently recognized invertebrate phyla, their evolutionary relationships, and their ecological roles in marine environments - all in three weeks!
Mentoring
I actively engage undergraduates, high school students, and members of the community in my research. I am currently advising three students on independent projects related to my research. I also offer volunteer opportunities working with with plankton and plastic samples in the lab. Over the last year and a half, I have worked with 15 volunteers, several of whom have gone on to further studies or careers in the biological sciences.Online Outreach
I believe that online outreach is a powerful tool for connecting science and society. I have been blogging since 2007, and have used the internet for both large-scale outreach efforts such as SEAPLEX and for fun, informal writing on scientific topics. A sample of my work is below.
SEAPLEX
As chief scientist of SEAPLEX, I coordinated an extensive online outreach effort, including a blog, Twitter, interactive Google map, photos, and videos.
Blog and Twitter
I currently blog at Deep Sea News, the web's leading marine science blog. In the past, I have blogged at The Oyster's Garter and at Double X, a women-focused spinoff of Slate Magazine.
I am also on Twitter at @MiriamGoldste and @seaplexscience.
Here are a few examples of my informal writing:
Does the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" exist? (January 10th, 2011). An explanation of the true nature of the "garbage patch."
Don't Panic: Sustainable seafood and the American outlaw (December 29th, 2010). An exploration of sustainable seafood through the lens of Legal Seafood's "Outlawed Seafood" dinner.
How To Cuddle Your Lady Right, by Smoove A (December 6th, 2010). This is a parody that explains peer-reviewed research on amphipod mating.
Miscellaneous
My collection of marine invertebrate videos, used during my lectures (and sometimes just for fun) is now on the web. Search by phylum, common name, location, or action!