Bettina M. SohstResume, Page 1 of 4

Bettina M. Sohst

/ Ocean Sciences
UCSC, E&MS building
Phone: (831) 459-2682
Email:
Personal Website:

Experience

Currently: Assistant Specialist; Technician in Trace-Metal Chemistry/ Oceanography

University of California, Santa Cruz

Conducting Analytical Chemistry (Trace-Metals, Nutrients, Oxygen etc.) in seawater: Cruise preparations, sampling, sample preparation, extraction, analysis and data processing.

Additional to tasks listed for “Specialist” occupations farther below:

  • Autonomously plan and execute analysis of macro nutrients in seawater on a large scale using a three channel flow-injection analyzer onboard ship as well as in the laboratory, including method development.
  • Plan, prepare for and execute seawater trace metal sampling on monthly sampling cruises on MontereyBay (CIMT project).
  • Prepare, extract and digest seawater particulate samples for trace metal analysis on ICP-MS.
  • Responsible for laboratory maintenance, laboratory organization and administration, and hazardous waste coordination.
  • Occasional cruise and laboratory help for other researchers and institutes (see below).

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Also currently: Marine Science Technician for the United States Antarctic Program/Raytheon Polar Services: Shipboard Technical Support on Antarctic Research Cruises

  • Autonomously plan and execute analysis of macro nutrients in seawater on a large scale using a five channel flow-injection analyzer onboard ship, including method development, teaching of new users and methods documentation.
  • Maintenance and troubleshooting of all USAP owned shipboard instruments (i.e. fluorometers, salinometers, liquid nitrogen producing plant, oxygen analyzer, etc.).
  • Responsible for all hazardous waste (including radioactive waste) including all “cradle-to-grave” documentation.
  • Instruction of all scientific personnel in instrument techniques, laboratory protocols, sample shipments, radioactive safety etc.
  • Support for radioactive isotope usage on board ship. Responsible for tracking of all isotope material and for waste coordination.
  • Responsible for safety in laboratories on board.
  • Help with instrument deployment out on sea as well as cargo handling, sample shipments and other port call duties.

Previous positions:

Project Assistant, Technician and Field Team leader in Environmental Science/ Chemistry

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San JoseStateUniversity and California Fish & Game, California

  • Plan and execute field sampling for various analytes in water and sediment samples for a California wide project.
  • Communicate with State Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Laboratory directors and with project managers.
  • Conduct Methylmercury analysis, Chlorophyll a analysis and establish and execute further routine laboratory measurements (i.e. Total Suspended Solids) including clean laboratory techniques.
  • Responsible for data management, for creating field-sampling reports, for establishing and documenting Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) and for field instrument maintenance.
  • Assist in database design.
  • Train new field- and laboratory personnel.
  • Attend state-wide project committee meetings.

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Research Specialist; Technician conducting research in Trace-Metal Chemistry/Oceanography School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine

•Extract low-level seawater samples for trace metal analysis as well as prepare these samples for the analysis. Analysis using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

•Responsible for data handling and interpretation, laboratory management, organization and administration including the training of laboratory assisting personnel in trace-metal clean procedures as well as radioactive isotope procedures. Order all necessary laboratory supplies and chemicals for the cleaning and maintenance of all equipment used on cruises and for general laboratory maintenance, i.e. instruments, supplies, equipment, etc.

•Conduct metal bioassay manipulation experiments including the handling and application of radioactive isotopes (beta-, gamma-emitters) as tracers as well as data collection for these experiments using gamma- and liquid scintillation counters.

•Use of carbon-14 (14C) and tritium (3H) tracers.

•Prepare ultra pure reagents and coordinate hazardous and radioactive waste management.

•Clean and prepare trace metal clean sampling equipment to be used on research cruises.

  • Set up and establish new laboratories/clean laboratories.
  • Train new personnel.

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Assistant Specialist; Technician conducting Trace-Metal Chemistry/ Oceanography

University of California, Santa Cruz

  • Conduct Trace-Metal Chemistry in seawater: Sampling, sample preparation, extraction and analysis.
  • Implement Microwave Digestion methods for trace metal analysis.
  • Apply clean room protocols and trace-metal clean procedures.
  • Responsible for laboratory maintenance, laboratory organization and administration and hazardous waste coordination.
  • Conduct Metal Bioassay Manipulation experiments.
  • Handle and apply radioactive isotopes (beta, gamma-emitters) as tracers.
  • Analyze metals using Voltammetric methods.
  • Occasionally apply Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.

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Seagoing Technician position with the Ocean Data Facilities (ODF) of Scripps Institute of Oceanography, UCSD on a temporary “as needed” basis

Participation in twenty oceanographic research cruises. Tasks on these cruises included, but were not limited to:

  • Autonomously plan and execute analysis of macro nutrients in seawater using a flow-injection autoanalyzer, including method development, instruction and documentation.
  • Determine dissolved oxygen concentrations using a modified and partially automated Winkler Titration method.

•Conduct trace-metal clean Cross Flow Filtration (CFF) experiments on seawater samples and metal bioassay manipulation experiments including incubation experiments using various radioactive metal isotopes as tracers.

  • Sample, extract and prepare seawater samples for trace metal analysis.
  • Instrument maintenance.
  • Hazardous waste coordination in Antarctic waters.
  • Laboratory setup, maintenance and coordination as well as instruction of users.

•Analyze cadmium and zinc concentrations in sea water using Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry - Rotating Glassy Carbon Disk Electrode.

•Collect various biological data on sea water samples (i.e. chlorophyll-, bacteria concentration); plankton tows.

  • Deck operations, including deployment and recovery of large CTD rosettes, running hydraulic frames, tag-lines etc.

•Assist with routine data collection procedures (i.e. CTD, light casts, seawater sampling, nutrient analysis, conventional filtrations) and with preparation and installation of portable vans and trace-metal clean surface seawater sampling system and equipment.

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Further Experience

  • Certified Research Diver (Germany); worked for the Department of Marine Botany, Institute of Marine Sciences, University Kiel - Germany: Baltic Sea shallow-water project (sediment sampling, transect monitoring, photographic activities). At present 160 free water dives.
  • Technical Assistant at the chemical-analytical laboratory of the “Mobil Oil AG” in Hamburg, Germany: Autonomous activity within the product control department.
  • Assistant Researcher at the Institute for Polar Ecology, University Kiel – Germany and at the Department of Marine Botany, Institute of Marine Sciences, University Kiel – Germany.

Further Skills and Personal Interests

  • Bilingual: German - English
  • Basic small boat handling experience
  • Orchid cultivation and habitat design
  • Photography
  • Running
/
  • Martial Arts
  • Created and maintain website (
  • Diving, Snorkeling and Surfing
  • Mountain Biking

Computer Expertise

  • Macromedia Dreamweaver
  • HTML
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Microsoft Access
/
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Assisted with database design
Experience on PC as well as some on Macintosh

Education and Affiliations

Technische Universität Clausthal and Institute of Marine Sciences Kiel – Germany

Diploma in Chemistry – verified to be at least equivalent to Masters of Science (USA), 1993

American Orchid Society

Member, since 2000

Santa Cruz Orchid Society

Member, since 2001

Director, May 2002 through December 2003

Assistant Librarian, April 2002 through December 2003

American Judo and Jujitsu Federation

Member, 1996-2004

Awards and Publications

Johnson, K.S., K.Boyle, K.Bruland, K. Coale, C. Measures, J. Moffet, A. Aguilar-Islas, K. Barbeau, B. Bergquist, A. Bowie, K. Buck, Y. Chai, Z. Chase, J. Cullen, T. Doi, V. Elrod, S. Fitzwater, M. Gordon, A. King, P. Laan, L. Laglera-Baquer, W. Landing, M. Lohan, J. Mendez, A. Milna, H. Obata, L. Ossiander, J. Plant, G. Sarthou, P. Sedwick, G.J. Smith, B. Sohst, S. Tanner, S. Van Den Berg, J. Wu, Developing Standards for Dissolved Iron in Seawater, EOS 88 (11) 131-132, March 2007.

Lohan, M.C, K.N. Buck, A.M. Aguilar-Islas, B. Sohst, G.J. Smith, K.W. Bruland, Iron cycling within the Columbia River plume: The role of tidal mixing and upwelling. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 70 (18): A369-A369 Suppl. S, AUG-SEP 2006.

Leblanc, K., C.E. Hare, P.W. Boyd, K.W. Bruland, B. Sohst, S. Pickmere, M.C. Lohan, K. Buck, M. Ellwood, D.A. Hutchins. Fe and Zn effects on the Si cycle and diatom community structure in two contrasting high and low-silicate HNLC areas. Deep-Sea Research Part I-Oceanographic Research Papers 52 (10): 1842-1864 OCT 2005.

Aguilar-Islas, A.M., M.P. Hurst, K.N. Buck, G.J. Smith, B. Sohst, M.C. Lohan, and
K.W. Bruland, Micro- and Macronutrients in the Bering Sea: Insight into iron-replete and iron-deplete regimes, Progress in Oceanography, (accepted).

Highly Commended Certificate (HCC) awarded by the American Orchid Society (AOS)

for Psychopsis Mendenhall ‘Loki’, February 2003