Chelsea Rochman
PhD Candidate in Joint Program: UC Davis/San Diego State University
Department of Biology
Ecology Graduate Group
San Diego State University
UC Davis
San Diego, CA, 92182
Davis, CA 95616
Email: chelsear@sciences.sdsu.edu, cmrochman@ucdavis.edu
Research Interests
I am interested in eco-toxicological impacts of marine debris, specifically plastics. The oceans are a sink for
many pollutants. Plastics leach toxic pollutants upon degradation, and also adsorb POPs from surrounding ocean
water. As organisms consume plastic, these toxins potentially accumulate in marine foodwebs.
Education
San Diego State University/UC Davis
PhD student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Ecology
Projected Graduation 2013
University of California, San Diego
BS, Biology: Ecology, Behavior and Evolution complete
2004-2007
University of Queensland, Australia
EAP Marine Biology/ Tropical Ecology Program
Studied Abroad Aug 2006-Nov 2007
Santa Monica College, CA
Biology
Attended 2003-2004
Awards and Honors
ARCS Scholarship 2011
AWIS San Diego Chapter Student Scholarship 2011
SoCal SETAC Best Student Presentation 2010
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship 2010
PADI Foundation Grant 2010
SoCal SETAC Research Grant Award 2010-11
Outstanding Achievement Award: Highest GPA in major UCSD
Personal Resources Grant: UCSD
SMART Grant: UCSD
UCSD Grant-in-Aid (2 years)
Malcolm R Stacey Scholarship (2 years)
Provost’s Honors (5 quarters): UCSD
Teaching Experience
San Diego State University
TA under Joe Newsome
Biology Lab 100
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Education Department. Teach Marine Science to K-12 and work as
Naturalist on Whale Watching cruises
April 2006-August 2009
UCSD
TA for Christopher Wills Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.
March-December 2007
Research Experience
5Gyres Transect Across the S. Atlantic
November 2010
Sample water, plastic and fish to look for contaminants in open ocean as a result of marine plastic debris.
Graduate Research
Hentschel Lab/San Diego State University
Aug. 2009-present
Field work in the San Diego Bay using plastic pellets to assess the rate and concentration of POPs adsorbing to
plastics across different resin types and different regions of the bay.
SEAPLEX Research Cruise
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Aug. 2009
Went to the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre on a research vessel in order to examine the accumulation of plastic
debris in the ocean. My focus involved collecting samples in order to assess the toxicological impacts of the
debris on the ocean ecosystem.
BISP 199/ Undergrad Individual Research
Lisa Levin’s Lab, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Summer and Fall of 2007
Analysis of sediment cores from the Oregon margin examining low oxygen effects on
macrofaunal density, community composition, and diversity.
Undergraduate Research
University of Queensland, Australia; Fall of 2006
-Comparing density and diversity of meiofauna in different sediment grain sizes in
Moreton Bay
-Comparing photosynthetic quantum yields of Acropora aspera and Goniastrea favulus on
the coral reef flat of Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef.
Publications
Van, A., Rochman, C., Flores, E., Hill, K., Vargas, E., Vargas, S., Hoh, E. Persistent Organic Pollutant
Content of Marine Debris Found On Beaches in San Diego, California. Chemosphere (2011), doi:
10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.09.039.
Research Presentations
Verbal Presentation:
Rochman, C., Hentschel, B., Teh, S., Hoh, E. 2011. Toxicological Implications of Plastic Pollution in Marine
Ecosystems. BaCaTec Summer Program, Technical University of Munich. Freising, Germany.
Rochman, C. 2011. The Next Young WIST to Watch: Hunting Plastic Pollution on the Open Sea. Women in
Science and Technology. San Diego, California. Invited Lecture.
Rochman, C., Hentschel, B., Kaye, S., Oei, M., Hoh, E. 2011. Adsorption of Persistent Organic Pollutants to
Plastic Pellets Varies Among Resin Types and Locations in San Diego Bay. Southern California Society
of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Huntington Beach, California.
Rochman, C., Hentschel, B., Kaye, S., Oei, M., Hoh, E., 2011. Adsorption of POPs to different types of plastic
pellets deployed in San Diego Bay, California. 5th International Marine Debris Conference. Honolulu,
Hawaii.
Rochman, C., Hoh, E., Hentschel, B., Teh, S. Modeling and Analysis of Marine Environmental Problems
Syposium. Matsuyama, Japan. Invited Lecture
Rochman, C. 2009. The “other” plastic problem: toxicity associated with plastic debris. Scripps
Institution of Oceanography: Perspectives in Ocean Science Lecture Series. San Diego,
CA. Invited Lecture
Rochman, C. 2008. Changes in Macrofaunal Community Structure Across the Oregon Margin
Oxygen Minimum Zone. Western Society of Naturalists Annual Meeting. Vancouver, B.C.
Poster Presentation:
Kaye, S., Rochman, C., Hentschel, B., Oei, M., Hoh, E. 2011. Comparing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Adsorbed to High- and Low-density Polyethylene Plastic Pellets Deployed in the San Diego Bay.
Southern California Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Huntington Beach, California.
Rochman, C., Hentschel, B., Hoh, E., Teh, S. 2011. Chemical and Toxicological Aspects of Plastic Debris in the
Sea. CSU COAST Faculty-Student Poster Reception. Long Beach, CA. Invited.
Rochman, C., Hoh, E., Hentschel, B., Teh, S., Kaye, S. 2010. “Trash is not food!: consequences of ingestion of
marine plastic debris deployed in the San Diego Bay to a medaka fish model, Oryzias latipes” 2nd
International Workshop On Microplastics and SETAC National Conference. Tacoma, Washington and
Portland, Oregon.
Reviewing Manuscripts for Journals
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Special Skills
Analytical chemistry, aquaculture, microscope work, operating equipment aboard research vessel, SPSS and
SyStat statistical software, computer skills, communication skills, scuba diving
Outreach Activities
Education and Outreach for San Diego Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics Campaign (2011)
Retired Teacher Association Presentation (2011)
Algalita Youth Summit Presenter (2011)
Girls in Ocean Science Presenter (2010, 2011)
Science Factory Camp Skype Presentation (2010, 2011)
Lecture on Marine Debris at Surfrider Meeting (2010, 2011)
New Ocean Blue Board of Directors-secretary (2011-present)
5Gyres Science Advisory Board (2010- present)
High Tech Middle Presentation (2010)
Vacaville Kindergarten Presentation (2010)
Wrote DeepSea Blog Entry (2010)
Reply to Kids Section of Scripps Magazine (2010)
Price Fellows Presentation (2009, 2010)
Expand Your Horizons Volunteer (2009)
Blog from SEAPLEX cruise to N. Pacific Gyre (2009)
Policy Experience
Summit on Marine Debris, Ocean Conservancy, Washington, D.C. (2010)
COMPASS Meeting, Sacramento, CA (2010)
Marine Debris Meeting, ACC, La Jolla, CA (2007)