Personnel and Administration

Susan Frisch Zaleski

Phone: (213) 740 - 8602
FAX: (213) 740 - 5936
E-mail: szaleski@usc.edu

 

Susan Frisch Zaleski received her B.A. in Biology from Hamilton College and M.S. in Biology from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). She conducted her graduate research under the direction of Dr. Steven Murray, whose research on rocky intertidal habitats along the Southern California mainland and Channel Islands has provided important information to state and federal managers on the effectiveness of marine life refuges and marine protected areas. In Murray's lab, Susan worked on Sea Grant projects examining shifts in seaweed and invertebrate populations during a period of climatic change and increased urbanization.

Susan served as a Sea Grant Trainee from 2000-2001, focusing her Masters research on invasive seaweeds imported through the aquarium trade. She became an expert on taxonomic discrimination of species within the Caulerpa genus and was invited to present her findings at multiple conferences (e.g. International Caulerpa taxifolia Conference, January 2002; American Fisheries Society, California-Nevada Chapter, Annual Meeting, April 2002). In May 2004, she was honored with the Outstanding Thesis Award from CSUF. She was also chosen as one of six finalists for the Western Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Master's Thesis Award. By providing evidence of the availability of potentially invasive Caulerpa species in the aquarium trade, Susan's thesis was used to support passage of state legislation (California Department of Fish and Game Code 2300) that bans the importation, possession, and sale of nine species of Caulerpa . Her thesis was also utilized to aid in the development of a national management plan for Caulerpa . Dr. Linda Walters (University of Central Florida) is now using Susan's methodologies in her National Sea Grant-funded project to determine the availability of aquarium-traded Caulerpa species in Florida.

Susan comes to USC Sea Grant after working as a researcher for the Orange County Ocean Institute in Dana Point and as an educational assistant for an undergraduate research course at CSUF. Her interests center around aquatic invasive species, marine protected areas, ecological restoration and long-term change of urban coasts, and coastal water quality. At USC Sea Grant, Susan will provide outreach and advisory services in the areas of coastal ecosystem health, aquatic invasive species, marine protected areas, public recreation, and other emerging issues along the southern California coast.

Sea Grant Home Page