OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
MARNIE JO ZIRBEL
Senior Faculty Research Assistant
BIRTHDATE:
5 July, 1975
EDUCATION
M.S., Environmental/ Marine and Estuarine Science, Western Washington University (2001)
B.S., Biology, University of California, San Diego (1997)
RESEARCH POSITIONS
Faculty Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, April 2003-present
Research Assistant, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Savannah GA, 2002-2003
Graduate Research Assistant, Shannon Point Marine Laboratory, Anacortes WA, 1999-2001
Research Assistant, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), La Jolla CA, 1997-1999
FIELDS OF SPECIALIZATION
Method development for fluorescent stains and probes in marine plankton
Shipboard collection of zooplankton and microalgae
Laser confocal, compound epifluorescent and dissecting microscopy
Identification of zooplankton and microalgae from field samples
Sterile culture of microalgae, dinoflagellates and ciliates
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
 Publications
Zirbel, M.J., C.B. Miller and H.P. Batchelder. 2007. Staging egg development of marine
copepods with DAPI and PicoGreen. Limnology & Oceanography: Methods. In Press.
Verity, P.G, M.J. Zirbel, and J.C. Nejstgaard. 2007. Observations on young colony formation
by Phaeocystis pouchetii in western Norway. Aquatic Microbial Ecology. In Press.
Alderkamp, A-C, J.C. Nejstgaard, P.G. Verity, M.J. Zirbel, A.F. Sazhin, M. van Rijssel.
2006. Dynamics in carbohydrate composition of Phaeocystis pouchetii colonies during spring
blooms in mesocosms. Journal of Sea Research 55:169-181.
Nejstgaard, J.C., M.E. Frischer, P.G. Verity, J.T. Anderson, A. Jacobsen, M.J. Zirbel, A.
Larsen, J. Martínez-Martínez, A.F. Sazhin, T. Walters, D.A. Bronk, S.J. Whipple, S.R. Borrett,
B.C. Patten and J.D. Long. 2006. Plankton development and trophic transfer in sea water
enclosures with nutrients and Phaeocystis pouchetii added. Marine Ecology Progress Series
321:99-121.
Zirbel, M.J. 2001. Evidence for light-enhanced grazing and growth in two species of marine
microzooplankton. Master’s thesis: Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA.
Zirbel, M.J., F. Veron and M.I. Latz. 2000. The reversible effect of flow on the morphology
of Ceratocorys horrida (Peridiniales, Dinophyta). Journal of Phycology 36:46-58.

Professional Meetings and Conferences
Zirbel, M.J., C.B. Miller and H.P. Batchelder. 2005. A one step method for fluorescent
nucleic acid stains in copepod eggs. Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Santiago de Compostela,
Spain. 19-24 June 2005.
Zirbel, M.J. and S. Strom. 2001. Light-enhanced digestion in microzooplankton. Aquatic
Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque, NM. 12-16 Feb 2001.
Latz, M.I., F. Veron and M.J. Zirbel. 2000. Effect of flow on dinoflagellates: Quantifying the
shear in shaken flasks using DPIV. Ocean Sciences Meeting, San Antonio, TX. 24-28 Jan
2000.

Cover Photo Credits
Miller, C.B. 2004. Biological Oceanography. Blackwell, Oxford.
Journal of Phycology. Volume 36, Issue 1. February 2000.


Seagoing Expeditions with COAS
Cruise Date
Apr, Jun, July 2003
Research Vessel
C. Barnes
Project
Copepod egg mortality
Investigator
Miller
Mar, Apr, May, Jun 2004
C. Barnes
Copepod egg mortality
Miller
October 2005
Miller Freeman
Pacific Coast Ocean Observation
Peterson
May 2006
MacArthur II
Pacific Coast Ocean Observation
Peterson
July 2006
Thompson
Layered Organization in Coastal Ocean
Cowles
April 2007
Kilo-Moana
Hawaiian Ocean Time Series
Letelier
August 2007
John Tully
North Pacific Carbon Flux
Letelier
Research for COAS
January 2007-Present: Laboratory manager for microalgae and cyanobacteria
photosynthesis studies. Sample collection and productivity experiments at sea,
algal culture, instrument calibration and maintenance.
Dr. Ricardo Letelier, COAS
2005-2006: Plankton identification and enumeration in preserved samples from Hawaii.
Acoustic and optical instrument package deployment at sea in Monterey Bay, CA.
Drs. Kelly Benoit-Bird and Timothy Cowles, COAS
2003-2006: Method development for fluorescent staining and confocal microscopy of Calanus
and Metridia copepod eggs. Field collection in Dabob Bay, WA and coastal OR; egg
development and sinking rate experiments.
Drs. Charlie Miller and Hal Batchelder, COAS
2005-2006: Shipboard zooplankton and water quality sampling in coastal CA, OR and WA.
Collection of live euphausiids and copepods for molting and egg production experiments.
Dr. William Peterson, NOAA/COAS

Selected Research Experience before COAS
2002-2003 Phytoplankton and microzooplankton experiments in coastal Georgia, USA and a
fjord mesocosm in Espegrend, Norway. Sterile culture of microalgae.
Dr. Peter Verity, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
1999-2001 Method development for microzooplankton grazing and growth experiments.
Dr. Suzanne Strom, Shannon Point Marine Center, WWU
2000 Microzooplankton sampling in Gulf of Alaska for NE Pacific GLOBEC.
Dr. Jeffrey Napp, NOAA/NMFS Seattle, WA
1997-1999 Field sampling for phytoplankton composition at Palmer Station LTER, Antarctica.
Phytoplankton productivity experiments using 14C.
Seatruthing NASA’s shipboard lidar and flyover remote sensing in the Sargasso Sea.
Dr. Maria Vernet, Marine Research Division, SIO
1995-1997 Physiology and bioluminescence studies in dinoflagellates. Sterile culture of
microalgae. SCUBA monitoring of bottom-moored bathyphotometer.
Dr. Michael Latz, Marine Biology Research, SIO
1996 Field sampling in Weddell Sea for zooplankton biomass and distribution with seasonal
pack ice. Collection and identification of over 20 species of Antarctic invertebrates.
Dr. Kenneth Smith, Marine Biology Research, SIO

Certifications and Training
Radiation Safety Orientation, OSU, 26 Sept 2006
Laser confocal microscopy training, Genome Research/Biocomputing Center, OSU, 2004
Molecular Techniques Workshop (MCB 525), OSU, 8-19 Sept 2003
Sea Safety and Survival Training, Hatfield Marine Science Center, OSU, June 2003
Radioisotope safety and handling, UC San Diego, 1998
Small boat handling and cold water safety, Palmer Station, Antarctica, 1997
Research SCUBA certification, SIO 1996
SOCIETIES, HONORS & AWARDS
2001 Poster Award of Recognition, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
2000 Journal of Phycology Provosoli Award for Outstanding Paper
2000 - present American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
1999 Huxley College of Environmental Science Graduate Student Research Grant
1997 NASA/Maryland Sea Grant College Summer Fellow
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
2005-2006 Teaching assistant for zooplankton lab in OC 331 (Jim Richman)
2005 Salmon Bowl Scientific Judge
SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC
2003-present OSU Sustainability Group
2004, 2006 Volunteer, Oregon Nonpartisan Voter Registration Drive
2006 Volunteer, Oregon Black Oystercatcher Bird Survey
2005 Member, Greaseworks Corvallis Biodiesel Co-operative
2005-present Volunteer, Audubon Society of Corvallis