Socrates Fellows Who We Are 2008-2009 Katherine Hanson
Katherine “Kate” Hanson, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Biological Oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, fell in love with invertebrate zoology during her undergraduate years at UCLA, in addition to developing a passion for scuba diving. She has combined these two interests in exploring coral reef habitats in Australia, Hawaii and Bermuda. About Socrates"I have new goals and new standards of achievement for myself as an educator, and am more confident in bringing interactive and laboratory-based activities to traditionally lecture-based undergraduate science courses."Her underwater research endeavors have also involved examining reefs surrounding the island of Moorea in French Polynesia. As a Socrates Fellow, Kate hopes to bring the excitement of marine biology to students.
“I hope to portray to students the excitement of studying the world of oceans and share with them a glimpse of the unique experiences Ive had as a graduate and undergraduate marine science student. More importantly, I hope to work to promote curiosity and an inquisitive spirit in students,” says Kate.
In her research with Dr. James Leichter at SIO, she examines the diet and trophic dynamics of coral reef fishes using stable isotope analysis. While stable isotope analysis can seem complex, Kate says, the concepts behind isotopes and their use in ecological research can be easily merged with lessons of elemental chemistry and atomic structure, thereby enhancing students' knowledge of the ecology of selected organisms.
When she isn’t in the lab or underwater, Kate is “slowly but surely” training for triathlon season and attending French language classes at UCSD.
