Inspiration Dissemination

Various species of kelp inhabit Oregon’s subtidal waters, providing food, nutrients, and shelter for an array of marine organisms. One such species, bull kelp, can be seen by divers towering over 50 feet above the seafloor as it grows rapidly, reaching for sunlight. Those not willing to brave the cold Oregon waters may stumble upon one during a beach walk — its leathery, green body resembling an oversized, thick whip after being torn from its holdfast by a recent storm.
Our guest this week is Anna Dworetzky, a new PhD student whose research focuses on bull kelp. Anna is particularly interested in the holdfast — the root-like structure that anchors bull kelp to the seafloor. Anna plans to dive at sites stretching from California to Alaska to examine four genetically distinct bull kelp subpopulations, investigating how holdfast structural complexity relates to attachment strength and the communities of organisms living within them.

What is Inspiration Dissemination?

Inspiration Dissemination is an award-winning radio program that occurs Sunday nights at 7PM Pacific on KBVR Corvallis, 88.7FM. Each week on the program, we host a different graduate student worker from Oregon State University to talk about their lives and passion for research here at the university. By presenting these stories, we can present the diverse, human element of graduate research that is often hidden from the public view.

Please find us on social media!

Twitter: twitter.com/kbvrID

facebook: www.facebook.com/InspirationDissemination/

Blog: blogs.oregonstate.edu/inspiration/

Radio Station: www.orangemedianetwork.com/kbvr_fm

Host University: oregonstate.edu

This show was founded in 2012 by Joey Hulbert and Zhian Kamvar. It has been made possible by all the current and former hosts of the show, Orange Media Network, the KBVR-FM students and staff, and of course the amazing graduate students at Oregon State University.