CURRICULUM VITAE

TRICIA L MEREDITH

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

Postdoctoral Associate

Chemical Senses Laboratory

Department of Physiology & Biophysics

University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Dec 2011-present

EDUCATION

PhD      Biology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

December 2011

Dissertation: Anatomy and Physiology of the Elasmobranch Olfactory System

Advisor: Dr. Stephen Kajiura

GPA: 4.0

BS        Marine Biology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

May 2004 – with university honors and departmental honors in biology

Honors Thesis: Palatability of the polychaete, Cirriformia punctata, to 3 generalist predators

Advisor: Dr. Joseph Pawlik

GPA: 3.5

HONORS AND AWARDS

Grant/Scholarship Name	Year(s) Awarded	Amount
Captain Al Nathan Memorial Scholarship	2009, 2011	$500-$1000
FAU Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence	2010-2011	$5000
AES Student Research Award	2010	$1000
Edward Shoaf Scholarship	2010	$1816
FAU Memorial Scholarship	2008-2010	$500
FAU Graduate Grant	2006-2010	$1000-$2000
Marsh Scholarship in Marine Biology	2009	$1000
Jeffrey C. and Carol A. Carrier Poster Award	2009	$300
Donald R. Nelson Behavior Research Award	2008	$1000
Lerner-Gray Grant for Marine Research	2008	$1500
Helen O’Leary Scholarship	2008	$1100
FAU Student Government Scholarship for Undergraduates and Graduates	2008	$1000
Dr. Vincent R. Saurino Fellowship	2008	$1100
FAU Alumni Association Scholarship	2008	$1000
Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research	2005	$500
AES Travel Grant	2008	$350
ASIH Travel Grant	2007	$400
FAU Graduate Students Association Travel Grant	2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011	$200-$600
FAU College of Sciences Travel Grant	2010, 2011	$600
UNCW Honors College Travel Grant	2003, 2004	$400

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Meredith, T.L., Caprio, J., and Kajiura, S.M. 2011. Sensitivity and specificity of the olfactory epithelia of two elasmobranch species to bile salts.  Journal of Experimental Biology.  Accepted.

Meredith, T.L., Kajiura, S.M., and Hansen A. 2012. The somatotopic organization of the olfactory bulb in elasmobranchs. Journal of Morphology. Submitted.

Meredith, T.L. and Kajiura, S.M. 2010. Olfactory morphology and physiology of elasmobranchs. Journal of Experimental Biology. 213: 3449-3456.

Kajiura, S.M., Macesic, L.J., Meredith, T.L., Cocks, K.L., Dirk, L.J. 2008. Commensal Foraging Between Double-crested Cormorants and a Southern Stingray. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 121(3): 646-648.

Meredith, T.L., Pawlik, J.R., and Henkel, T. 2007. The polychaete Cirriformia punctata is chemically defended against generalist coral reef predators. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 353: 198-202.

TEACHING PUBLICATIONS

Contributing author.  2010.  Anatomy & Physiology I & II Practical Assessment and Review Software.  Bluedoor Publishing.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Postdoctoral Research; December 2011 – present

University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL

• Investigating the taste system in mice to determine how certain hormones affect the function of taste cells

Dissertation Research; January 2005 – December 2o11

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

• Led collection trips at fishing locations around coastal Southeast Florida
• Employed an electro-olfactogram technique to study olfactory thresholds and olfactory receptor types of local elasmobranchs
• Examined the comparative morphology of the olfactory organs and olfactory bulbs of elasmobranch
• Mentored undergraduate students on the research methods

Field Biologist; October 2008 – August 2009

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Miami to Ft. Pierce, FL

• Conducted field surveys to determine impact of recreational fisheries on highly migratory species of fish
• Participated in 2007 & 2008 Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop

Biology Lab/Field Assistant – Dr. S. Kajiura; 2004-2005

Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Oahu, HI

• Used an electro-olfactogram technique to investigate the olfactory capabilities of the scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini

Biology Lab/Field Assistant – Dr. J. Pawlik; January 2003 – June 2004

University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

• Applied bioassay guided fractionation procedures to investigate the use of chemical defenses by a marine polychaete, Cirriformia punctata
• Assisted in a giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta, monitoring project off of Key Largo, FL
• Assisted in a project on the use of chemical defenses by marine sponges off of Key Largo, FL

Biology Field Assistant – Dr. L. Sayigh; January 2002 – May 2002

University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

• Conducted surveys of bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, in the Intracoastal Waterway and the Cape Fear River, which consisted of identifying individual animals and characterizing their behavior
• Assisted in research and development of an Atlantic coast catalogue of Tursiops truncatus

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Graduate Teaching Assistant; January 2005 – December 2011

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

BSC491 – NSF Undergraduate Research & Mentoring (URM)/Honors Biology Programs; taught 4 semesters, helped develop course objectives and schedule, mentored undergraduates on creating research proposals, presentations, and manuscripts

BSC 2085L – Anatomy & Physiology I Lab; taught 9 semesters, mentored new TAs, point person for group development of image-based testing software for Anatomy & Physiology lab students

BSC 2086L – Anatomy & Physiology II Lab, taught 3 semesters, mentored new TAs, point person for group development of image-based testing software for Anatomy & Physiology lab students

BSCL1010 – Bioprinciples Lab, taught 1 semester

OCB 4043L – Marine Biology Lab, taught 1 semester, led field trips to Florida Keys ecosystems

BCH 3103L – Biochemistry Lab, taught 2 semesters

Guest Lecturer; January 2007 – Present

2008-2011; Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, Sea Turtle Day, Boca Raton, FL

2011; University of Miami, Chemical Senses Group at the Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL

2010; FAU undergraduate evolution class, Boca Raton, FL

2010; South Florida Science Museum, Shark Weekend, West Palm Beach, FL

2009; Florida Oceanographic Society, Stuart, FL

2009; FAU NSF Undergraduate Researching and Mentoring Program, Boca Raton, FL

2009; Western Pines Community Middle School, West Palm Beach, FL

2009; Palm Beach Hammerhead Dive Club, Boynton Beach, FL

2007; Marine Lab, Key Largo, FL

PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS

Association for Chemoreception Sciences Annual Meeting; April 2011; St. Petersburg, FL

Poster: Meredith, T.L. and Kajiura S.M. 2011. Electrophysiological Evidence for Multiple Amino Acid Olfactory Receptor Sites in Elasmobranchs. Chemical Senses. In press.

Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology; January 2011; Salt Lake City, UT

Poster: Olfactory hemi-bulb organization in the elasmobranch brain. Integrative and Comparative Biology. In press.

Association for Chemoreception Sciences Annual Meeting; April 2010; St. Petersburg, FL

Poster: Meredith, T.L. and Hansen, A. 2010. Hemi-bulb Organization in the Elasmobranch Brain. Chemical Senses. 35(7): A85.

Association for Chemoreception Sciences Annual Meeting; April 2009; Sarasota, FL

Poster: Meredith T.L. and Kajiura, S.M. 2009. Olfactory Thresholds of Elasmobranchs. Chemical Senses. 34(7): A51.

NATIONAL MEETINGS

Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; July 2011; Minneapolis, MN

Presentation: Electrophysiological Evidence for Multiple Amino Acid Olfactory Receptor Sites in Elasmobranchs

Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; July 2010; Providence, RI

Poster: Olfactory hemi-bulb organization in the elasmobranch brain

Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; July 2009; Portland, OR

Poster: Olfactory thresholds of elasmobranchs

Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; July 2008; Montreal, PQ

Presentation: Olfactory morphology and physiology of batoids

Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; July 2007; St. Louis, MO

Poster: How well do yellow elasmobranchs smell?

Benthic Ecology Meeting; March 2004; University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL

Poster: Palatability of the polychaete, Cirriformia punctata, to three generalist predators

REGIONAL MEETINGS

FISH Conference; November 2010; University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Presentation: Olfactory hemi-bulb organization in the elasmobranch brain

FISH Conference; November 2008; Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Presentation: Olfactory Physiology of Elasmobranchs

FISH Conference; November 2007; University of Tampa, FL

Presentation: Olfactory capabilities of three batoid species

FISH Conference; November 2006; Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Presentation: Olfaction in Elasmobranchs

Regional Sigma Xi Meeting; May 2004; University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

Poster: Palatability of the polychaete, Cirriformia punctata to three generalist predators

UNIVERSITY MEETINGS

FAU Graduate Student Research Day, April 2010; Boca Raton, FL

Poster: Olfactory thresholds of elasmobranchs

FAU College of Science Graduate Research Day, March 2010; Boca Raton, FL

Poster: Olfactory thresholds of elasmobranchs

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Current

American Elasmobranch Society (AES)

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH)

Association for Chemoreception Sciences (AChemS)

Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB)

Past

Sigma Xi

SERVICE

Society

2010-2011; AES, Chair of the Nominatin Committee

2010-2012; AES, Corporate Donations Coordinator for the Student Affairs Committee

2009-2011; AES, Nelson Behavior Research Award Judging Committee

2008-2010; AES, Chair of the Student Affairs Committee

2011; AES, Carrier Poster Award Judging Committee

2006-2008; AES, Student Workshop Coordinator for the Student Affairs Committee

University

2009-2011; FAU, Biology Student Representative for the Integrative Biology Program

2010; FAU, Integrative Biology Program Retreat Committee

Media

Raised awareness of elasmobranch biology by providing interviews, technical support, and on-camera appearances for documentaries and science programs

2012; The Dangers Facing Sharks, Sunday Morning Along the Coast, 97.3FM The Coast

2012; It’s Alive: Mythbusting a shark’s nose, Science News Prime (Science News’ iPad app.)

2010; Shark Smell Myth Found Fishy, Inside Science News Services

2010; The Shark Riddle, Sisbro Studios, LLC

2008; Evolve – Shape and form, History Channel

2007; Ocean of Fear: The story of the USS Indianapolis, The Discovery Channel

2006; Explorer – Ultimate Shark, National Geographic

2006; LOOKS TV (Germany)