“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
- Albert Einstein -
RESEARCH
My dissertation research on the ecology of cleaner shrimps in the Caribbean opened up a new field of marine biology that was not in my previous research repertoire. During my undergraduate career, I completed research projects that included field work on the population dynamics of the green crab, Carcinus maenas, in Connecticut.
In order to complete proper surveys on the abundance of my doctoral research organisms I complete my field work while scuba diving. The ability to dive opens up many possibilities for future research and collaboration with other scientists in my field. The skill of diving improved my ability to work with others in a team and work on my organizational skills. When working underwater, these skills are critical to completing tasks. I hope to continue to use scuba in the future to collect data on imperiled marine organisms and to aid in conservation efforts.
A critical component of completing scientific research is acquiring the funding necessary to complete the scientific process and procure results. The graduate program I joined for my doctorate allowed me the ability to obtain my own research funding. My ambition led me to complete this difficult task of self-funding my research projects. My diligence to acquire funding led to well-deserved results. Grant writing became an important and well-developed skill of mine and allowed me to raise over $5,000 for my field and lab work. Grant writing will be an important facet in many career options and I plan to use this ability in my future endeavors.
My doctoral research led to many unexpected teaching opportunities outside of my graduate teaching assistantship, including working with undergraduate students in the Chadwick lab. I trained numerous students to aid in my doctoral research projects and develop their own projects based on my research in both the laboratory and field setting.
I served as an instructor to students from the Auburn University Honors College in a course on marine research. Throughout the duration of this semester long class, I helped four undergraduates from various majors learn the scientific process, develop hypotheses, formulate methods to test those hypotheses, collect data and complete presentations communicating their results. This class further developed my leadership skills and my ability to communicate scientific research to a broad audience.
Research Funding Acquired
May 2016: Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association Travel Award
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March 2016: International Women's Fishing Association Scholarship
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February 2016: Auburn University Graduate Research and Travel Fellowship
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May 2015: Lerner-Grey Memorial Fund of the American Museum of Natural History
April 2015: Women Divers Hall of Fame Honorable Mention Award in Graduate Conservation
June 2014: Auburn University Graduate Student Thesis/Dissertation Award
Academic Publications
Gilpin, J. A. and N. E. Chadwick. 2018. Social structure of Pederson cleaner shrimps Ancylomenes pedersoni: gender and size-based dominance hierarchy. (In Prep).
Gilpin, J. A. and N. E. Chadwick. 2018. Mating system and reproductive rates of Pederson cleaner shrimps under laboratory conditions. (In Prep).
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Gilpin, J. A. and N. E. Chadwick. 2017. Life-history traits and population structure of Pederson cleaner shrimps Ancylomenes pedersoni. Biological Bulletin 233:190-205. (Cover article with picture taken by J.A.G)
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Gilpin, J., K. Bimson, F. Barrett, A. Longfellow, and D. Brousseau. 2012. Biology and population dynamics of the green crab (Carcinus maenas) in Milford Harbor (Connecticut USA): an update. Journal of Shellfish Research 31:216
Bimson, K., J. Gilpin, M. Tougas, and D. Brousseau. 2011. Biology and population dynamics of the green crab (Carcinus maenas) in Milford Harbor (Connecticut USA). Journal of Shellfish Research 30:442.
