Jacqueline Stephens Email & Phone Number

Sunderland, Massachusetts, United States

Old Lyme, Connecticut, United States

Long Island Sound Trawl SurveyDiadromous Inland Fisheries Project

New York, United States

The project being conducted at the Ravenswood Generating Station in Long Island City, NY is an entrainment survival study. This ecological risk assessment investigates the impact of the natural gas power plant on the survival of ichthyoplankton by the collection and comparison of biological samplings at both the intake and thermal discharge point of a cooling water intake system. As an Environmental Technician, I receive the biological samples from both sites and conduct an initial sort of the microorganisms found. This initial sort involves the categorization of the microorganisms as live, stunned (larvae) or dead and extraction from the sample. While the dead eggs and larvae are preserved, the live and stunned are put into a water bath for further latent survival effects monitoring at intervals of 6, 12, 24, and 48 hrs. Throughout the project, water quality data is recorded and collaboration with the crew manager is required for accurate sampling time periods.

Storrs, Connecticut, United States

The purpose of this sub study was to look beneath the surface to find internal changes occurring in preparation for migration. Two physical attributes and one performance assessment of migrant (actively-migrating) and resident (pre-migration) alewives were investigated: lipid content, ventricle mass, and swimming speed. I hypothesized that (1) migrants will have a larger lipid content for increased energy storage, (2) ventricles of migrants will have greater mass than those of residents for higher cardiac function, and following suit with the prior (3) larger hearts and increased energy storage will lead to better whole-body performance (i.e. swimming speed). Fish were collected in summer 2019 from the natal freshwater environment, exposed to seawater for 24 hrs, measured for swimming performance, and dissected for organ and tissue composition analysis. Hearts were excised and weighed pre- and post-drying, and a soxhlet extractor was used for lipid analyses. The results of this study will contribute to our knowledge of migratory ecology by increasing our understanding of key shifts in juvenile Alewife morphology and performance. This is important to the efficacy of conservation and management efforts for Alewife, a species that has experienced drastic population decline since the 1960s and is currently listed as a Species of Concern.

Wallingford, Connecticut, United States

My main project was to create a system of organization and evaluation for Returned Manufactured Assemblies. On the other hand, my daily tasks included analyzing assemblies with electrical testing to provide information on the reason for failure and maintaining records of all assemblies entering the Material Review Board System. Time management and problem solving were two key skills I was able to improve over my experience there.

Wallingford, Connecticut

My internship project was to assist in developing and implementing an updated version of the OSHA Hazard Communication Program for the company. My main task involved the creation of a chemical inventory for all the products that employees are exposed to on site. Employees now have the power to inform themselves by searching for a product in the easily accessible Excel project and reviewing the provided material safety data sheets of every product they use daily. This inventory can also give a base line for calculations to be made on of how much of each chemical is on site and can be used to help review for compliance with EPA/DEEP volumes and compare to standard RQs. From this experience, I was able to gain a well rounded exposure to a possible career path through establishing a respect for safety and environmental aspects in the workplace.

Master'S Degree, Environmental Conservation

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Biology/Biological Sciences, Minor In Mathematics

Activities and Societies: UConn Women’s Club Soccer