Contact me

lhs3@uw.edu
laura.spencer@noaa.gov

Positions

Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2022 - Present
University of Washington CICOES & SAFS, NOAA AFSC

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2021-2022
National Research Council, NOAA AFSC & NWFSC

Education

PhD, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, 2021
University of Washington

Bachelor of Science, Oceanography (Chemical), 2011
Universtiy of Washington

Publications

Molecular indicators of warming and other climate stressors in larval Pacific cod Laura H Spencer, Emily Slesinger, Ingrid Spies Benjamin Laurel, Thomas Hurst. In revision, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Narrowed gene functions and enhanced transposon activity are associated with high tolerance to ocean acidification in a juvenile subarctic crustacean Laura H Spencer, William Christopher Long, Ingrid B Spies, Krista M Nichols, Robert J Foy, February 2024. PLOS Climate 3(3): e0000319. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000319

Epigenetic and genetic population structure is coupled in a marine invertebrate *Katherine Silliman, *Laura H Spencer, Samuel J White, Steven B Roberts. January 2023. Genome Biology and Evolution 15(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evad013 *Equal author contribution

Physiological Ocean acidification does not overlook sex: Review of understudied effects and implications of low pH on marine invertebrate sexual reproduction Jackie Padilla-Gamino, *Lindsay Alma, *Laura H Spencer, *Yaamini Venkateraman, *Leah Wessler September 2022, Frontiers in Marine Science. 9:977754. http://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.977754 *Equal author contribution

Physiological Response of Shellfish Native to the North American Pacific Coast to Ocean Acidification and Warming Dissertation Laura H Spencer. University of Washington ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, September 2021. 28719152.

Latent effects of winter warming on Olympia oyster reproduction and larval viability Laura H Spencer, Erin Horkan, Ryan Crim, Steven B Roberts. September 2021. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 542-543:151604. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151604

The risks of shell‐boring polychaetes to shellfish aquaculture in Washington, USA: A mini‐review to inform mitigation actions
Laura H. Spencer, Julieta C. Martinelli, Teri L. King, Ryan Crim, Brady Blake, Heather M. Lopes, Chelsea L. Wood. Aquaculture Research, 00:1–18, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1111/are.14921

Carry-over effects of temperature and pCO2 in multiple Olympia oyster populations
Laura H Spencer, Yaamini R Venkataraman, Ryan Crim, Stuart Ryan, Micah J Horwith, Steven B Roberts. Ecological Applications, 30(3), 2020, e02060 https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2060

Confirmation of the shell-boring oyster parasite Polydora websteri (Polychaeta: Spionidae) in Washington State, USA
Julieta C. Martinelli, Heather M. Lopes, Lorenz Hauser, Isadora Jimenez-Hidalgo, Teri L. King, Jacqueline L. Padilla-Gamiño, Paul Rawson, Laura H. Spencer, Jason D. Williams & Chelsea L. Wood. Scientific Reports volume 10, Article number: 3961 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60805-w

Pacific geoduck (Panopea generosa) resilience to natural pH variation
Laura H Spencer, Micah Horwith, Alexander T Lowe, Yaamini R Venkataraman, Emma Timmins-Schiffman, Brook L Nunn, Steven B Roberts. June, 2019. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics Volume 30:91-101 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbd.2019.01.010

Larval response to parental low pH exposure in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)
Yaamini R Venkataraman, Laura H Spencer, Steven B Roberts. Journal of Shellfish Research 2019, https://doi.org/10.2983/035.038.0325

Characterization of proteomic response to natural environmental differences in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Yaamini R Venkataraman, Emma Timmins-Schiffman, Micah Horwith, Alexander T Lowe, Brook L Nunn, Brent Vadopalas, Laura H Spencer, Steven B Roberts. February, 2019. _Marine Ecology Progress Series 610:65-81. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12858

Honors & Awards

Best graduate student presentation, 75nd Annual Shellfish Conference, virtual, Pacific Coast Section of NSA, September 20-22, 2021.
Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW, Australia) May 2018, National Science Foundation
Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN, with NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center), June 2020, National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP, with NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center), April 2020, National Science Foundation
Invited speaker and winner of the Student Spotlight Competition, Aquaculture 2019 in New Orleans, March 7-11, 2019.
Best graduate student presentation, 72nd Annual Shellfish Conference in Blaine, WA, Pacific Coast Section of NSA, September 18-20, 2018.
Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW, Australia) May 2018, National Science Foundation
Australia–Americas PhD Research Internship Program April 2018, Australia Academy of Science
College of the Environment Student Travel Award, November 2017, University of Washington
Hall Conservation Genetics Research Award March 2017, University of Washington College of the Environment
Libbie H. Hyman Memorial Scholarship (Declined) March 2017, The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Division of Invertebrate Zoology
Melbourne R. Carriker Student Research Grant March 2017, National Shellfish Association
NSA Student Travel Award January 2017, National Shellfish Association
Fellow, Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), April 2016, National Science Foundation

Membership, Certificates, and Positions

Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, member since 2016
National Shellfish Association, recruits co-chair and member since 2017
World Aquaculture Society, member since 2017
United States Aquaculture Society, social media subcommittee and member since 2017
UW Shellfish Club, Vice-President since 2017
PADI Open Water, 2015-present
UW Scientific Diver in-training

Products

Beyond the blob: pinpointing the mechanisms of pacific cod population decline, UW CICOES 2023 magazine, UW CICOES Magazine 2023 Ocean acidification impacts oysters’ memory of environmental stress, UW Press Release March 2020
Earth Echo International: STEM Career Close-Up, March 2016
Earth Echo International: Shell Shocked, March 2016
Geoduck as indicators of environmental change
–Poster, NSA Annual Meeting in Knoxville, March 2017
–Presentation, PCSGA Conference in Welches OR, September 2017