Laidre Lab

Students in my lab are based at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) and work on a variety of projects related to the ecology of high latitude marine mammals. Projects tend to be focused on factors that shape population and community dynamics in the Arctic, where ecological responses to climate change are expected to be most pronounced. Our work has direct applications to wildlife conservation and management.

The Laidre lab is committed to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all people. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on characteristics that include, but are not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, ethnic or social origin, familial status, veteran status, religion or (non)belief, or socio-economic status.

Information for prospective students

Grad Students

Jennifer Stern

Jenny’s research at the School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences (SAFS) focuses on the feeding ecology of the Baffin Bay polar bear subpopulation, shared between Canada and Greenland. She analyzes hair and fat samples collected from captured polar bears using stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses and combines these data with movement data from adult females tracked with satellite collars. Her Ph.D. also includes an assessment of hair growth using zoo polar bears to inform nutritional ecology studies in the wild. Her Ph.D. research is supported by a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship and a SAFS fellowship. Jenny received her B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas in 2016. At the University of Kansas, she studied the effects of climate change on tree phenology, changing honeybee population dynamics, and the evolution of venomous dorsal spines in sharks and cartilaginous fishes.

Sarah Teman

Sarah’s PhD research focuses on understanding the population health of polar bears in a changing climate. Her research has focused on developing a quantitative index of physiological dysregulation for polar bears, as well as measuring biomarkers of nutritional and reproductive health. Sarah collaborates with scientists at the USGS Alaska Science Center and the Cincinnati Zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife. She is supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and she is a graduate student member of the Polar Bear Research Council. Sarah graduated from the University of Florida (UF) with her B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Her undergraduate thesis examined the foraging ecology of small mammals in Eswatini, Africa. At UF, she volunteered with the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Aquatic Animal Health Program and assisted with manatee and cetacean health assessments and stranding response. Prior to joining the UW, she worked as a research assistant for The SeaDoc Society on Orcas Island, helping to lead stranding response, health assessments, and epidemiologic research on marine mammals in the Salish Sea. Now in her free time, Sarah volunteers in marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation at SR3. Sarah’s publications can be viewed here.

Post-Docs

Dr. Marie Zahn

Marie’s research interests are at the intersection of marine animal ecology and ice-ocean dynamics in polar regions. As a PhD student, she studied beluga and narwhal bioacoustics and glacier fjord hydrography in West Greenland. Specifically, she quantified features of beluga and narwhal echolocation and oceanographic variation in three northwest Greenland fjords occupied by narwhals. Her work will help improve long-term oceanographic and toothed whale observation methods in the Arctic. Marie is currently a post-doctoral researcher supported by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of Washington. Prior to graduate school, Marie completed a BA in Environmental Biology from Columbia University in 2016 where she studied the ethnobotany of western red cedar for her undergraduate thesis. She also spent several years working for research programs in Alaska and Antarctica which motivated her desire to formally pursue graduate school at the UW. Her publications and additional background can be found here.

Technicians and Lab Assistants

Ben Cohen

Ben is a GIS technician working in the Laidre lab on numerous projects, including satellite data from polar bears in Greenland. His work focuses on utilizing geospatial, ecological, and environmental data to investigate natural phenomena in the Arctic and help understand impacts on animal populations and habitats. Ben graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Earth and Space Sciences (Physics) in 2018. Ben enjoys performing improv comedy and spending time outdoors kayaking or biking. His work at the lab allows him to engage directly with efforts to better understand the effects climate change on animals and the planet.

Kristin Laidre

Senior Principal Scientist | Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Lab, University of Washington

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