Marine Biochemistry Technician to Provide Data Quality Control

05/02/10 Portland, Ore.

Sarah F. Riseman, Marine Biochemistry TechnicianThe Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction (CMOP) at Oregon Health & Science University announced today that it has appointed Sarah F. Riseman to the position of marine biochemistry technician. Riseman will assume her duties at CMOP on May 17, 2010.

“As the SATURN collaboratory continues to mature as a unique scientific resource for CMOP and the Pacific Northwest, Sarah greatly adds to our ability to quality-control data and to coordinate across interdisciplinary teams working in the field and laboratory,” says António Baptista, director of CMOP.

Riseman has extensive oceanographic research experience. She spent the last 10 years as a technician and laboratory manager at the Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston South Carolina. There, she was responsible for scientific instrumentation and methodologies including gas chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography, and flow cytometery. Riseman has a cumulative of 14 months experience conducting research at sea and in remote Antarctic field locations.

Riseman earned her B.S. in Zoology from University of Massachusetts and M.S. in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston. In 1999, she was awarded the Joanna Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Marine Biology.

In her new position at CMOP, Riseman will maintain and deploy biogeochemical instruments including in situ nutrient analyzers and advanced instrumentation to measure microbes and gene expression in the environment. She will work closely with a wide spectrum of research groups including the Astoria field team; labs of Joe Needoba, Holly Simon and Tawnya Peterson; chief scientists; and the cyber-team.

“Sarah’s background in biological oceanography and practical experience will be a strong asset for the development and evolution of the center’s river-to-ocean biogeochemical observation network,” says Joe Needoba, OHSU assistant professor. “We are fortunate to have her join us at this stage of CMOP’s progress.”

Written by Jeff Schilling

Riseman will be based in Portland at the OHSU West Campus but her field and lab work with SATURN will be in multiple locations.