Publications

"Using High Throughput Genomic Sequencing to Predict Ecological Impacts on Sea Turtle Populations"
ABSTRACT
Marine turtles are long-lived, migratory vertebrates that encounter a variety of human and natural stressors throughout their lives. Understanding the biology and threats of these animals is challenging because they are hard to observe, and can migrate across whole ocean basins. Minimally invasive sampling techniques (e.g., blood samples) allow us to learn about their physiology, genetics, and the environmental conditions they have experienced. In this project, we developed a novel method to extract the RNA from whole green and loggerhead turtle blood from animals inhabiting a variety of sites across the Pacific Ocean. Some habitats are more pristine, while others have been heavily altered by humans. These samples will be used for high throughput genomic sequencing to provide data on the gene expression, genetic relatedness, and functional genomics of these animals. First, we will look at the genes that are up-regulated in animals inhabiting polluted environments to understand contaminant impacts on marine turtle health. Secondly, we will identify single nucleotide polymorphisms that will be used as tools in future studies to examine fine-scale structure and adaptive variation in future studies. We then pair these data with other data from our research group on sex, size, migration, and foraging ecology. These approaches allow us to generate large amounts of data that can be used for a variety of scientific and conservation studies from small samples. This allows us to sample the animals while having little to no impact, and to monitor health and physiology in live populations over time. This will provide a better understanding of threats to sea turtle populations that can be used by both conservation biologists and ecologists in protecting habitats of sea turtles worldwide.

"On-Ice Arctic Sea Ice Thickness Measurements from 1894 to 2011"
ABSTRACT
​NOAA@NSIDC is pleased to announce the release of On-Ice Arctic Sea Ice Thickness Measurements by Auger, Core, and Electromagnetic Induction, From the Fram Expedition Onward. In addition to sea ice thickness, the data set provides sea ice freeboard and snow depth on sea ice from in situ measurements taken primarily using auger, coring devices, and electromagnetic (EM) sounding. When available, ice type is also included. The archive was compiled from 44 different expeditions starting with measurements from the Fram Expedition in 1894 and 1895, then to the Maud Expedition from 1922 through 1924, and continuing forward in time to observations from 2011.

​The figures below give an idea of the distribution of the measurements through time and space. For about half of the more than 55,000 points at which measurements were made, the ice type is unspecified. Of the remainder, about 10% are first year ice and about 40% are multiyear ice.

High Tech High Ichthyology Program

High Tech High's after school Ichthyology Program has been featured by the San Diego County Office of Education as an exemplar after school program. 

​This program enables students to have opportunities to explore science and technology through hands-on project-based learning, while simultaneously exposing students to career pathways in the fields of marine science, biology, animal husbandry, and aquaculture. 

JOIDES Resolution Onboard Outreach Officer Exp. 399 April - June 2023

Learn more about Expedition 399 through social media:
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Twitter: @TheJR
Instagram: @joides_resolution
Facebook: JOIDES Resolution

Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship 2021-2022

Fellowship Placement: Library of Congress

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program provides a unique opportunity for accomplished K-12 educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to serve in the national education arena. Fellows spend eleven months working in Federal agencies or in U.S. Congressional offices, applying their extensive knowledge and classroom experiences to national education program and/or education policy efforts. At the end of the Fellowship, educators are equipped with access to a national network of education leaders and programs, a better understanding of the challenges and possibilities in STEM education, and a renewed passion for teaching, ready to make significant contributions to the educational community.

PolarTREC Expedition 2017-2018

Follow Lesley's PolarTREC Expedition to the South Pole to learn about neutrinos and subatomic particle interactions!

Media Highlights

Blue Marble Space: End of an Era

Guest Contributor – Dr. Lesley Anderson
Barbara “Bobbie” John walked up the gangway with intentional steps, recognizing that this was the very last time she would ever board the JOIDES Resolution. After three previous expeditions on the JR, Bobbie found herself one of 20 international scientists embarking one more time on the drilling vessel. This particular expedition is very special to her, because she was onboard the ship that first discovered the Lost City at Atlantis Massif. In fact, she was the person that first recognized this unique geologic feature on the sea floor.

Students Build StoryMaps

​Camaraderie at 2022 Arctic Data Stories Workshop. “I really enjoyed working with a diverse team of people—our different experiences were all very valuable in coming together with a story,” said participant Lesley Anderson, Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress. “I loved being able to be around other people who love the Arctic!”

Five Questions with Lesley Anderson
2021-2022 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow Teaching at the Library of Congress

Primary sources are the perfect way not only to pique students’ interest in a STEM topic, but also to provide an opportunity to engage with the science and engineering practices in order to solidify complex ideas. The Next Generation Science Standards ask our students to engage in argument from evidence or develop and use models and I cannot imagine a more authentic way to promote critical thinking and problem solving than to engage with primary sources.

Educating Future Generations 
Green.Org Mainstream Media

We started creating content around sustainability and renewable energy to inspire people to take action in their lives and live more environmentally friendly and sustainably. When we came across Lesley Anderson we were very excited to share her story and highlight the work she is doing educating future generations about science, tech, energy, and sustainability. Lesley has worked closely with major organizations like Genentech, Aerospace, NASA, The Maritime Alliance, and Lockheed Martin, all to get a better understanding of what they do and share that information to inspire students.

Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship Program
Alumni Report

Through this program, I want to learn how to bring about systemic change. I want to encourage educators to become scientific role models for their students. I want the field of science to become a tangible and practical avenue for every student entering a science classroom. I envision an education system where every student is empowered to pursue any profession they choose regardless of their background. I hope to someday hear my future students say, “I’m a girl, of course I can become a scientist!”

​100kin10 Project Team
​National Network of State Teachers of the Year

This Project Team's goal was to develop recommendations for how to improve and formalize holistic coaching for teacher leaders. Their members include National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY), High Tech High, DoDEA, Boyd County Public Schools, and New Teacher Center.

Teachings from the South Pole
The Star News, Chula Vista, by Robert Moreno

Lesley Anderson, a High Tech High Chula Vista 11th grade biology and environmental science teacher, likes taking real world lessons into her classroom. When the science teacher had the opportunity to go to the South Pole recently as part of a research expedition, she could not help but bring her experience to her students. “I’ve always been a teacher who has always wanted to teach away from just the textbook,” she said. “I want to teach from personal experiences."

Teacher, Researcher, Explorer
College of Science and Mathematics Magazine, California Polytechnic State University, SLO

When Lesley Anderson (Biological Sciences, ’12; Single Subject Teaching Credential, ‘13) visited Antarctica, she took her entire 11th-grade biology class with her — virtually. As a member of the PolarTrec program, which pairs teachers with a research team in Antarctica, Anderson shared every step of her journey to the bottom of the world with her students, from trying on parkas and boots to speaking with them live from McMurdo Station.

IceCube Neutrino Experiment Project
PolarTREC teacher joins neutrino hunters at the South Pole

Lesley Anderson, a fifth year 11th grade biology and environmental science teacher in Chula Vista, CA, is preparing for the trip of her life. In a few weeks, she will start a long journey to Antarctica to join an international team of astrophysicists. They hunt for neutrinos from the remote and extreme corners of the universe with a new type of telescope under the ice at the South Pole. “I have always been interested in polar regions and after years of excitement about the incredible science conducted in these remote locations, I can’t believe that the dream of participating in this science is becoming a reality,” says Anderson.

PolarTREC
​2017-2018 Antarctic PolarTREC Participant

Lesley Anderson is in her 4th year of teaching at High Tech High in California as an 11th grade biology and environmental science teacher. She studied biological sciences as an undergraduate at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where she conducted research on behavioral and morphological studies of tropical freshwater fish species. She is currently pursuing her masters of science in chemistry from South Dakota State University.

Sharklet Technology Lesson Adaptation
Beyond Benign, Green Chemistry

Lesley Anderson, a chemistry teacher turned environmental science teacher from High Tech High in San Diego, CA, participated in a Beyond Benign teacher workshop at the USA SciFest last month. With her free sample of Sharklet from the workshop, she fit Sharklet into her class's biomimicry and engineering design project, while adapting the lesson for her class's limited resources.

Bringing the Classroom to the Ocean
Isle Surf and SUP

High Tech High in Chula Vista is a charter school that takes learning to new lengths and fuses project based learning with real cooperative community experiences..This type of learning gives kids the opportunity to have an effect on their communities and families outside of the classroom. We were contacted by High Tech High to see if we could bring our paddle boards down to La Jolla Shores and teach the kids to SUP and explain why standup paddle boarding is good for ecotourism. We obliged and had a different type of board meeting!

California Teachers' Summit
NPR Story - California State University, Fullerton

Eleventh-grade environmental science teacher Lesly Anderson, for example, spent her summer working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. While at JPL, she studied sea ice thickness in the Arctic and when she took it back to the classroom, she connected the science with students’ everyday lives. “I talked to my students about the habitat loss of the polar bear up in the Arctic," she said. "What does that mean for them? And how can they as students have an impact on that by unplugging lights?"
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