Miss Eloise Savineau

Oct 2021 – Present Demonstrator

Undergraduate modules:

SOES2040 Zooplankton Ecology & Processes

SOES2006 Phytoplankton and Primary Production

Postgraduate modules:

SOES6018 (M.Sc. boat work and biology/chemistry labs)

Past Research 

Sept. – Dec. 2023 Visiting researcher. Pelagic Ecosystems Lab, University of British Columbia

Applications of DNA metabarcoding and CRISPR-Cas9 to investigate zooplankton diets.

Skills: DNA extraction, DNA amplification (PCR), CRISPR-Cas9 digestions, magnetic microbead DNA purification, index PCR and pooling, sgRNA synthesis, equimolar dilutions, gel electrophoresis, bioinformatics (DADA2 R package)

Nov 2020 – June 2021 Plankton Research Assistant

Internship at the Flanders Marine Institute, Belgium. Main project: Analysis and comparison of two zooplankton sampling methods (WP2 net sampling and Video Plankton Recorder). ZooScan processing and image analysis. Produced a report and presentation for the institute. Side project: Validation of image-based phytoplankton classifications obtained from a FlowCam.

June – Sept 2020 Impact of fish farm contaminants on benthic ecosystems

Master thesis supervised by Dr. Dan Mayor and Prof. Martin Solan. “The individual and interactive effects of copper, Slice^®, and macrofaunal species composition on benthic nutrient generation”. This project used existing data from mesocosm experiments to investigated how benthic invertebrate bioturbation and sediment nutrient generation were influenced by chemical pollutants and community composition. Used linear mixed-effect modelling in R.

May – June 2020 The role of zooplankton in the biological carbon pump

Master literature review supervised by Dr. Dan Mayor. Produced a report critically evaluating the role of zooplankton in cycling carbon in the ocean and how the BCP may change as a result of climate change.

Oct 2019 – Jan 2020 Macro FlowCam zooplankton processing

Worked in Dr. Kathryn Cook’s lab processing zooplankton samples from past-cruises and running them through the Macro FlowCam for later image analysis.

Feb – April 2019 Impacts of Brexit on UK fisheries

Undergraduate literature review supervised by Prof. Paul Fernandes. Investigated the impacts of the UK leaving the European Union on UK fisheries, taking into account: policy; governance; management; quota allocations; control and enforcement; funding; market access and trading.

Sept 2018 – Jan 2019 Impact of warming sea temperatures on North Sea cod

Undergraduate honours thesis supervised by Dr. Tara Marshall. Used 30-year time series of sea surface temperature, spawning time of cod, and zooplankton abundances. Investigate whether temperature-induced earlier spawning of cod resulted in an increased match-mismatch index (MMI) between first feeding cod larvae and their zooplankton prey. Found a temporal increase in MMI, which inversely correlated to rates of recruitment of the spawning stock.

Summer 2018 Marine Research and Outreach Assistant

Intern at the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch on the Isle of Man. Conducted research on the cetaceans in Manx waters through land and boat-based surveys. Responsible for data processing and analysis of cetacean sightings collected over the year. Updated the organisation’s photo-ID catalogue. Organised public watches and outreach events around the island.

Fieldwork Experience

Sept. – Oct. 2024 JC269 BIO-Carbon 2 Research Cruise. Icelandic Basin. 5 weeks

Day/night deployment of Bongo nets; preservation and size fractionation of zooplankton samples for abundance data and later lipid biomarker, metals, ETS activity and elemental analysis. Picking of Oithona for ETS activity, elemental analysis, and DNA metabarcoding. Ran Calanus and Oithona grazing and respiration experiments. Responsible for training a research technician in identifying and picking Oithona throughout the cruise.

May – June 2024 DY180 BIO-Carbon 1 Research Cruise. Icelandic Basin. 6 weeks

Day/night deployment of Mammoth and Bongo nets; preservation and size fractionation of zooplankton samples; picking of Oithona and Calanus for ETS activity, lipid biomarkers, elemental analysis, and DNA metabarcoding. Ran Calanus and Oithona phytoplankton grazing, egg production, faecal pellet grazing, and respiration experiments. Filtered water for vertically resolved POM lipid biomarker analysis.

Nov. 2023 eDNA boatwork, Hakai Institute, Quadra Island. Pelagic Ecosystems Lab, UBC. 1 week

eDNA collection in waters around Quadra Island, BC, Canada, to characterize BC fjords biodiversity and the role of fjords as habitat for fish species.

February – March 2023 DY157/AMT30 Research Cruise

5-week long Atlantic Meridonial Transect (AMT) research cruise from the Falkland Islands to Southampton, aboard the RRS Discovery. As part of the zooplankton team, I assisted with the deployement and collection of vertically resolved zooplankton samples using a Mammoth Net. I was responsible for the deployment and collection of zooplankton samples using a triple bongo (WP2) net. I also helped hand pick out key zooplankton species of interest (Oithona) to be frozen for later ETS activity analysis back on land.

April – May 2022 JC231 Research Cruise

3-week long NOC led research cruise to the Porcupine Abyssal Plain Sustained Observatory in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, aboard the RRS James Cook. As part of the pelagic team, I collected water samples from Niskin bottles on the CTD and was responsible for all on-board water filtrations (particulate organic carbon, particulate inorganic carbon, particulate silicate, chlorophyll (total and size fractionated), HPLC) and lugols. I was also responsible for collecting the day zooplankton net samples using a WP2 net.

Nov 2020 – May 2021 Monthly sampling campaigns on RV Simon Stevin

Took part in monthly day-long sampling campaigns in the Belgian part of the North Sea with the Flanders Marine Institute. Collected zooplankton samples using a WP2 net. Operated a video plankton recorder (VPR) to collect in-situ zooplankton images/data. Conducted onboard water filtrations for nutrients, pigment and eDNA.

Scientific Conferences and Workshops

March 2024 International Zooplankton Production Symposium

Savineau, E.L.R., Cook, K.B., Blackbird, S.J., Stowasser, G., Kiriakoulakis, K., Preece, C., Fielding, S., Belcher, A.C., Wolff, G.A., Tarling, G.A. and Mayor, D.J .“Lipid biomarkers and stable isotopes reveal disconnect between feeding dynamics of mesopelagic zooplankton and a spring diatom bloom in the Scotia Sea” Oral presentation

Nov 2022 BioZoo Workshop: Ecological applications of biomarkers in zooplankton

Week-long workshop at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece. Lectures in fatty acid biomarkers, stable isotope analysis, AARS and ETS. Laboratory work learning the protocol for ETS and protein determination. Concluded with a presentation of the results from our ETS analysis.

Sept 2022 Challenger 150: Challenger Society Conference.

Savineau, E. L.-R., Cook, K. B., Blackbird, S. J., Stowasser, G., Tarling, G., Fielding, S., Belcher, A., Wolff, G., Mayor, D. J. “Investigating the physiological- and trophic ecology of zooplankton in the Scotia Sea using lipid profiles.” Poster presentation.

Science Communication

May 2023 European Maritime Days Conference

Invited to be a speaker during a panel discussion and workshop "Reaching a sustainable ocean: role of ocean literacy in linking science with blue sectors, education and society". The workshop focused on sharing best practices, identifying current gaps and discussing how ocean literacy can help in practice to reach desired outcomes. I presented the ocean literacy booklets "Bridging the Ocean" created by the All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassadors in partnership with the the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network.

Dec 2020 – Sep 2022 All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassador (AAOYA)

Belgian AAOYA, sponsored by JPI-Oceans, for the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. Developed campaigns and actions addressing science communication, ocean literacy and the sustainable development and stewardship of the Atlantic Ocean. Participated in workshops and conferences to engage political, social, economic and scientific leaders. Developed the AAOYA Ocean literacy booklets “Bridging the Oceans” for the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network. These booklets cover a range of topics for schools to help implement ocean literacy in their curricula.

July 2022 All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassador Summer School

Week-long summer school in Washington DC organized alongside the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Forum 2022 Ministerial Event. Events included: science diplomacy event and reception at the German embassy; science communication workshop at the American Association for the Advancement of Science; policy panel event at Notre Dame University.

July 2022 All-Atlantic Ocean Research Forum 2022: Ministerial Event

Forum aimed to share the outcomes of the scientific event and launch the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Declaration. As a Youth Ambassador, I presented the work done by all 26 youth ambassadors over the past year and launched the AAOYA ocean literacy booklets for the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network.

June 2022 All-Atlantic Ocean Research Forum 2022: Scientific Event

Forum aimed to scientifically underpin the vision for the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and future actions to be taken by policy makers at the Ministerial Event. Engaged in international discussions and workshops to brainstorm infrastructure and capacity building for ocean literacy.

Oct 2021 8^th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference

Panellist during a session on the All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassadors. Spoke about our programme, our involvement and our vision for the Atlantic community and ocean.

Sept 2021 ICES Annual Science Conference

Invited to speak about the All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassador programme and our work during the opening ceremony of the conference.

June 2021 All-Atlantic R&I for a Sustainable Ocean: Ministerial High-Level & Stakeholder Conference

Organised and moderated the side-event “Opening Doors for Early-Career Ocean Professionals” through my role as an All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassadors. Multi-generational discussion on breaking down barriers faced by early-career ocean professionals.

May 2021 Ocean Literacy Festival

Organised the side-event “Young Explorers of the Sea”. This event aimed to showcase ‘scientists are just like you’ and highlight to the public that anyone can get involved in ocean advocacy and science.

Leadership Experience

Oct 2021 – Present INSPIRE DTP cohort representative

Communicate on behalf of my cohort regarding any feedback they may want brought to the DTP’s executive steering committee. Participate in quarterly executive steering committee meetings. Help out during the DTP recruitment events and during the new cohort’s induction week.