Navarro Lab, University of Alaska Southeast

Ripley Wholecheese (25-26)

Undergrad Researcher, UAS Fisheries Scholar (25), UAS AK STEM Scholar (24), UAS NSF Scholar (24), UAS Chancellor Awardee (24), Doyon Foundation STEM Scholar (24), UAS Dean’s list F25, S25, F24

Project Title: Berryteuthis magister

I’m an undergraduate originally from Galena, Alaska: a small village (population less than 500) on the Yukon River. In pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology, I naturally chose the University of Alaska Southeast. I’m Koyukon Athabascan and one of eight kids from my Dad, each of us pursuing adventure in one way or another. In my free time I love to read, play video games, interact with animals, and swim whenever I can. My favorite author is Michael Crichton, the mastermind behind Jurassic Park, which began my love for science. My love for the ocean has been present my entire life, primarily beginning from when I was seven and my family visited an aquarium in Hawai’i.

I’m very excited to continue working in the Navarro Lab. I’ve dissected 74 statoliths from B. magister squid, as well as the squids stomachs, reproductive systems, and collected their weight and size. These data will aid in the development of biological assessment protocol to support a developing B. magister fishery in Juneau, Alaska. I am very excited to be assisting in ageing B. magister individuals from statoliths I previously removed.