Dr. Shirel Kahane-Rapport (2021-2024)

Dr. Kahane-Rapport is now an Assistant Professor at Old Dominion University.

Performance of filter-feeding in large-scale marine animals. 

Dr. Kahane-Rapport completed her Ph.D. at Stanford using an integrative approach to understand how body size affects the biomechanics and ecophysiology of baleen whales. In addition, she is interested in the functional morphology and fluid dynamics of filter-feeding in large-bodied animals (manta rays, whale sharks, and baleen whales). Dr. Kahane-Rapport uses 3D modeling to investigate filtration performance and is currently optimizing a bio-inspired microplastic filter based on manta rays. 

Dr. Kahane-Rapport was awarded:

• NSF PRFB
• American Cetacean Society LA Chapter grant

 Email: skahane-rapport@fullerton.edu

Dr. Kahane-Rapport is now an Assistant Professor at Old Dominion University. 

Dr. Kahane-Rapport in the news: 

How blue whale got so big

• Teen girls in Ocean Science
• High tech tools for studying whales
• Baleen whales
• Microplastics in whales and in Phys.org

Publications:

1. Cade, D. E., Kahane-Rapport, S. R., Gough, W. T., Bierlich, K. C., Linsky, J. M., Calambokidis, J., ... & Friedlaender, A. S. (2023). Minke whale feeding rate limitations suggest constraints on the minimum body size for engulfment filtration feeding. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7(4), 535-546.
2. Vandenberg, M. L., Cohen, K. E., Rubin, R. D., Goldbogen, J. A., Summers, A. P., Paig‐Tran, E. W.M., & Kahane‐Rapport, S. R. (2023). Formation of a fringe: a look inside baleen morphology using a multimodal visual approach. Journal of Morphology.
3. Segre, P. S., Gough, W. T., Roualdes, E. A., Cade, D. E., Czapanskiy, M. F., Fahlbusch, J., ... & Goldbogen, J. A. (2022). Scaling of maneuvering performance in baleen whales: larger whales outperform expectations. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(5), jeb243224.
4. Cade, D. E., Gough, W. T., Czapanskiy, M. F., Fahlbusch, J. A., Kahane-Rapport, S. R., Linsky, J. M., ... & Goldbogen, J. A. (2021). Tools for integrating inertial sensor data with video bio-loggers, including estimation of animal orientation, motion, and position. Animal Biotelemetry, 9(1), 1-21.
5. Kashiwabara, L. M., Kahane-Rapport, S. R., King, C., DeVogelaere, M., Goldbogen, J. A., & Savoca, M. S. (2021). Microplastics and microfibers in surface waters of monterey Bay National marine sanctuary, California. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 165, 112148.
6. Savoca, M. S., Czapanskiy, M. F., Kahane-Rapport, S. R., Gough, W. T., Fahlbusch, J. A., Bierlich, K. C., ... & Goldbogen, J. A. (2021). Baleen whale prey consumption based on high-resolution foraging measurements. Nature, 599(7883), 85-90.
7. Kahane-Rapport, S. R., Savoca, M. S., Cade, D. E., Segre, P. S., Bierlich, K. C., Calambokidis, J., ... & Goldbogen, J. A. (2020). Lunge filter feeding biomechanics constrain rorqual foraging ecology across scale. Journal of Experimental Biology, 223(20), jeb224196.
8. Segre, P. S., Potvin, J., Cade, D. E., Calambokidis, J., Di Clemente, J., Fish, F. E., ... & Goldbogen, J. A. (2020). Energetic and physical limitations on the breaching performance of large whales. Elife, 9, e51760.
9. Goldbogen, J. A., Cade, D. E., Wisniewska, D. M., Potvin, J., Segre, P. S., Savoca, M. S., ... & Pyenson, N. D. (2019). Why whales are big but not bigger: Physiological drivers and ecological limits in the age of ocean giants. Science, 366(6471), 1367-1372.
10. Goldbogen, J. A., Cade, D. E., Calambokidis, J., Czapanskiy, M. F., Fahlbusch, J., Friedlaender, A. S., ... & Ponganis, P. J. (2019). Extreme bradycardia and tachycardia in the world’s largest animal. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(50), 25329-25332.
11. Kahane‐Rapport, S. R., & Goldbogen, J. A. (2018). Allometric scaling of morphology and engulfment capacity in rorqual whales. Journal of Morphology, 279(9), 1256-1268.

Dr. Samantha Leigh (2019-2020).

Dr. Leigh is now an Assistant Professor at CSU Dominguez Hills. 

Dr. Leigh graduated from UCI with a focus on animal physiology. Her integrative and award winning work on sea grass eating sharks made national headlines. Dr. Leigh investigated microplastic contamination in the Southern California Bight (SCB) and looked at ingestion and assimilation of microplastics by marine zooplankton.  She is an avid supporter of science outreach and communication. 

Leigh, S.C., Bowers-Doerning, C. Kaufman, K., Mosqueda, K., Nolasco, R., Teeple, J., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Microplastics contaminate surface waters and zooplankton in Southern California. Marine Pollution Bulletin, In review.

Chelsea Bowers-Doerning (2019-2023). - Microplastics in commercially important food fishes. M.S. 2023.

Currently a Sea Grant Fellow at the Post of San Diego. 

Chelsea received funding from:

• CSUF COAST Kenneth H. Coale Graduate Award
• CSUF Coppel Award
• CSUF Hillman-McClanahan graduate research awards.
• She was  selected as the recipient of the 2022-2023 Fly Fishers Club of Orange County Marine Scholarship.
• CSUF Emeriti Benson Memorial Scholarship
• CSUF Murray Award

Chelsea recently won the all CSUF research competition and competed at the all CSU research competition in 2023. 

Publications: 

1. Perog, B. D., Bowers-Doerning, C., Ramirez, C. Y. L., Marks, A. N., Torres Jr, R. F., Wolfe, M. L., & Zacherl, D. C. (2023). Shell cover, rugosity, and tidal elevation impact native and non-indigenous oyster recruitment: Implications for reef ball design. Ecological Engineering, 192, 106969.

Email: chelsea10@csu.fullerton.edu

Chelsea Bowers in the news: 

• Sardines with a side of microplastics
• Microplastics in local waters

Raj Divi - Biomimetic modeling of manta ray filters (2014-2020). M.S. 2020. 

Publications:

1. Divi, R. V., Strother, J. A., & Paig-Tran, E. M. (2018). Manta rays feed using ricochet separation, a novel nonclogging filtration mechanism. Science advances, 4(9), eaat9533.

U.S. Patent: 16240732. 

Raj won first prize at the CSUF research competition and also took home first prize at the all CSU research competition! 

Andrew Lowe - Evolution and structural performance of armored fishes (2016-2019). M.S. 2019.

Currently laboratory technician at Chapman University 

Publications: 

1. Lowe, A., Kolmann, M. A., & Paig-Tran, E. W. M. (2023). How to Survive a (juvenile) Piranha Attack: An integrative approach to evaluating predator performance. Integrative Organismal Biology, 5(1), obad032.
2. Lowe, A.*, Summers, A. P., Walter, R., Walker, S., & Paig-Tran, E. M. (2020). Scale performance and composition in a small Amazonian armored catfish, Corydoras trilineatus. Acta Biomaterialia.

Andrew Barrios -  Freezing and mechanical properties of Scombrid fish bones (2014-2017). M.S. 2017.

Currently an Associate Professor at Santa Ana College.

Publications: 

1. The effects of freezing on the mechanical properties and composition of anosteocytic bone in Pacific mackerel, Scomber japonicus. In prep.
2. Paig‐Tran, E. M., Barrios, A. S., & Ferry, L. A. (2016). Presence of repeating hyperostotic bones in dorsal pterygiophores of the oarfish, Regalecus russellii. Journal of Anatomy, 229(4), 560-567.
3. Forsgren, K. L., Jamal, H., Barrios, A., & Paig‐Tran, E. M. (2017). Reproductive morphology of oarfish (Regalecus russellii). The Anatomical Record, 300(9), 1695-1704.

Email: Barrios_Andrew@sac.edu

Lexi Cheung (2022-2023). Scientific illustration

Lexi is a talented scientist and artist working toward building a scientific art portfolio in our laboratory. Her subject matter includes creating publishable figures of our study specimens including whales, fish, and armadillos. She has a soft spot for marine mammals. Lexi graduates in Spring 2023 and aims to work as a scientific illustrator.

Lexi's artwork will be published in the upcoming volume of the Encyclopedia of Fish Physiology. 

Email: lexi.aimee@csu.fullerton.edu