This week’s PhDetails comes all the way from across the pond and is with Lis Henderson. Lis completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. There, she developed a strong interest in ecology. She then went on to earn her MS in Biological Oceanography at The University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Lis is now nearing the end of her doctoral degree in Marine Sciences at Stony Brook University's School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Her interests in marine science stem from a longstanding interest in the oceans. Lis says that her passion persisted throughout her studies because she is drawn to the interconnected nature of biotic and abiotic factors in the oceans at multiple time and space scales. “It's ocean-loving ecologist's dream!” You can find Lis on twitter @elishenderson
Well let’s start off talking about completely unscientific stuff: What is your favourite band/musical artist pre 1980?
I play a lot of Ella Fitzgerald at home.
Favourite band/musical artist post 1980?
Lately, I’ve been into Leon Bridges.
Favourite movie?
Moonstruck. It’s awful. And amazing. I love it. I watched it again just the other night.
Do you listen to podcasts? What are some of your favourites?
I enjoyed S Town most recently. Looking forward to checking out Dirty John next! I like investigative story podcasts.
Where do you study and who is your supervisor?
I am in the School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University in New York. My advisor is Dr. Janet Nye.
What year of your PhD are you in?
I’m at the end of my fifth year now. Looking forward to wrapping things up in 2019! (Pray for me, ya’ll)
Who’s giving you the money – and for how long?
I was originally funded by an NSF Coastal SEES grant which lasted for 4+ years of my degree. I am now on a grant New York State grant to monitor offshore ecosystem resources.
Do you have any publications – if so where?
The first chapter of my dissertation is published in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries:
Henderson, M. E., Mills, K. E., Thomas, A. C., Pershing, A. J., & Nye, J. A. (2017). Effects of spring onset and summer duration on fish species distribution and biomass along the Northeast United States continental shelf. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 27(2), 411-424.
I am hoping to submit my second chapter to a journal very soon – stay tuned!
Did you do a masters – where was it and was it about?
I completed my M.S. in Biological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography in Narragansett, Rhode Island. I studied the impacts of temperature on the timing and abundance of fish in Narragansett Bay.
Do you do fieldwork? What is the best fieldwork you have ever done and what made it great?
During my masters, I was the Graduate Assistant for the URI Fish Trawl survey. It’s the longest running trawl survey in the United States. Each week, we sampled two stations in the bay using a bottom trawl net. I feel lucky to have had that experience. Because we sampled every week of the year, I got to see the full seasonal cycle of fish in the bay. Plus, it was beautiful!
How many PhDs did you apply for – what were you looking for?
I applied to just one PhD program. I knew Dr. Nye through my work in Rhode Island. I liked her research interests and was very excited for the opportunity to work in her lab at Stony Brook. (For my masters, I emailed MANY potential advisors, heard back from only a handful, and then applied to just 2 programs I think)
What is the most bodged piece of equipment you have had to use during field/labwork – did it work?
Thankfully I haven’t experienced much of this. Sometimes nets tear or get lost. They are expensive to replace but, stuff happens.
What one piece of advice would you give to a masters student applying to PhDs now?
Talk to other students. Get a feel for the program, your potential advisor. Is this someone you can work well with?
How often do you meet with your supervisor?
I meet with my advisor once a week. Sometimes it’s a quick check in, sometimes we talk for a while. If there are additional concerns, we can always email, or I swing by her office.
What supervisor traits are important to you?
Willingness to answer questions. I’m always relieved when I talk to my advisor. I might go into the meeting thinking “oh dear. This is a dumb question.” But I never regret asking! I’m also fortunate that my advisor is very understanding of personal struggles. I had a temporary illness that prevented me from returning to work for over a month once and she was nothing but understanding and supportive. It was a major relief to just focus on getting better.
What do you think are the worst supervisor traits?
I am thankful that I have not experienced terrible traits. But from friends’ experiences, I would say lack of understanding for personal time and mental well-being. Doctoral degrees take a lot of work. But you need to have a life outside of work. Time for hobbies and friends.
In one sentence what is your PhD about?
I look at the direct and indirect effects of temperature on fish abundances and distributions in the Northwest Atlantic ocean.
What has been your academic highlight of the last year?
I wouldn’t say it was a moment. I’ve been making some realizations that I’ve come a long way through my academic journey. That’s something to be proud of!
Have you had an academic lowpoint of the last year – if so what happened?
Nothing terrible sticks out in my memory. But it hasn’t been rosy either!
Which academic idol/scientist have you met?
I can’t recall any in particular… Not saying there aren’t great scientists that I have been excited to talk to though!
Which academic idol/scientist would you most like to meet?
There are many inspiring folks. Frankly, the science twitterverse (am I saying it right?) connects me with several inspiring folks across all disciplines. I love to read people’s stories, shared struggles, and celebrate each others’ successes!
Do you have a favourite paper?
Ellwood, E. R., Temple, S. A., Primack, R. B., Bradley, N. L., & Davis, C. C. (2013). Record-breaking early flowering in the eastern United States. PloS one, 8(1), e53788.
I like this paper because it gets non-scientists interested in one of my research topics. Changes in temperature seasonality are of increasing concern to ecologists as they may affect the timing of biological phenomena like flowering and migration. The authors compared records of flowering dates from Henry David Thoreau and Aldo Leopold to modern flowering dates. They found that over time, with warming spring temperatures, flowering occurs earlier.
What has been your favourite conference so far – why?
I really like small, 1-2 day conferences. The large, multiday conferences are great too but I like sitting in one room for a whole day, hearing ALL the talks, and getting lots of time to network with people that are closely related to my own interests. For my work, that is the Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine (RARGOM) annual meeting.
What hours do you typically work?
I have a dog that needs morning and noon walks so I usually do something like 10-2pm and 3-7pm. This varies. If I find a good afternoon rhythm, I might work into the evening a bit. It’s good to set daily/weekly goals to stay on task.
How do you avoid procrastinating?
I’m a big fan of writing my daily/weekly goals on post-its. I might not be able to check them all off. But it’s a way to hold myself accountable. I write down what I want to achieve and review those goals at the beginning and end of each day. What did I accomplish? And often, why did it take longer than I thought it would?
What motivates you in your day to day PhD life?
I think of my work as doing puzzles. Coding is a lot like puzzling. And answering – or attempting to answer – research questions feels like a logic puzzle. Given the data available, how do I tackle the question I want to answer? It’s fun!
What do you do when you’re not working – how do you balance it with your PhD?
My dog! He gets me outside and makes sure I’m exercising. I also like to cook, knit, and see family and friends.
If a genie could grant you one wish to help with your PhD what would you wish for?
A timeturner could be helpful?
What would be your dream job?
Professional puppy cuddler. Dream big!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself continuing to pursue my current research interests. I could also see myself teaching a class or two. Teaching and science communication are fun because I get to review core concepts and think about exciting case studies with which to present them!
One word to sum up your future in academia:
Bright!
What do you want to achieve outside of academia in the coming year?
I LOVE open water swimming. It’s like my therapy. This past summer, I swam across Lake Champlain (3.7+ miles). It was beautiful! I’m on the prowl for another race to aim for this coming summer. Open to suggestions!
What essential tool hardware/software could you not do your PhD without?
My laptop. And R!
Who has been your academic role model/inspiration and why?
Several of my peers inspired me over the years. I think it’s neat when someone shifts gears in their career or academic interests because they found something that really grabbed their attention. It’s not easy to do. I applaud the people who not only found something they REALLY wanted to do but were dogged enough to follow through with it. Hats off to you folks.
Where is somewhere you would like to work in the future?
I don’t have a specific place in mind. In the short term, I’m looking forward to a mainly research post doc. But I also like teaching. Long term, I could see myself doing research and teaching. Maybe mostly research and some teaching.
Do you have a favourite organism?
I study a lot of different organisms so it’s hard to pick a favourite! But, I do like squid. Their anatomy is wild. And they’re so tasty… Can you tell I’m hungry?
Are there any social interactions/meetings which have enhanced your PhD experience e.g. social seminars/group meetings?
Open discussions of all sorts are immensely helpful. As a grad student, it is important to find spaces in which you feel free to ask questions, even basic concepts that you worry you probably already learned back in some intro class. It’s also good to have a few friends whose couch you can come sit on and talk about all your fears and grad school problems with.
If you could change one thing about your group/department structure what would it be?
I think it’s important for students within a department to present research to each other regularly. I’m on my way out but, I think it would be nice to arrange weekly brown bag seminars wherein each student practices talking to the department at least once a year. Not only is this good practice and an opportunity to discuss ideas, it’s just nice to see what other people are doing!
What major question in your subject area is yet to be addressed – why is it important and why isn’t anyone addressing it?
I think a lot of marine ecologists struggle with data collection. I’m blown away every time I check out similar topics in terrestrial literature because it’s SO much easier to collect the data! That said, I think people are doing a great job of tackling these questions. And tech advancements are making data collection better and better. We just need that funding!
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