San Diego State University Department of Biology
   and Coastal & Marine Institute

  Fish Ecology Lab

    [Faculty Advisor]   [Graduate Students]   [Projects and Publications]   [Presentations]

    [Collaborators]   [Funding]   [Lab Alumni]  

My interest in ecology stems from a unique upbringing on Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. Gradually and unknowingly, I developed a sense of wonder for the impressive aquatic environment provided by the Great Lakes. I became determined to satisfy my sense of curiosity towards fishes, their interactions with one another, and their relationship to their local environment. My motivation for studying fish ecology has grown with my understanding of their unique life histories and the anthropogenic threats to their persistence.

I received my BSc in Biology from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. During this time I gained a taste for environmental studies through my position as a technician for Severn Sound Environmental Association, where I used biomonitoring to determine the health of local streams and watersheds. A volunteer position with Frederic Guichard led me to work on the spatio-temporal dynamics of the blue mussel in the Saint Lawrence River. I accumulated further experience in terrestrial and marine field ecology working for Don Kramer and Patrick Leighton on hawksbill sea turtle ecology in collaboration with The Barbados Sea Turtle Project. This project involved radio-tracking mongoose individuals to document their behavioral ecology in relation to hawksbill sea turtle hatching success.  More recently, I developed two years worth of laboratory and analytical skills through my job as an analyst for an aquatic ecotoxicology laboratory in Vancouver, B.C.

I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. at the interface of marine ecology and toxicology. I am interested in the role of pollutants in mediating fish health, behavior, and predation risk in contaminated systems such as estuaries. From my dissertation research, I hope to gain a thorough understanding of the effects of pollutants on marine fish so that I may eventually inform conservation initiatives and environmental policy.

When I am not playing with fish or chemicals, I spend my time doing anything artistic or athletic, including playing piano and guitar, rock climbing, ultimate frisbee, and bike touring.
 

Email:  violetmcompton@gmail.com

This page was last modified on May 10, 2012.  

SDSU Fish Ecology Lab

For technical problems contact the webmaster: webmaster@rohan.sdsu.edu

The statements found on the Fish Ecology Lab home page are for informational purposes only. Although every effort is made to ensure that this information is up to date and accurate, official information can be found in the University publications http://www.sdsu.edu.