Tobiah Moorcroft-Dzidzienyo

Executed 40+ SCUBA kelp-forest transect dives across 6 Monterey Bay reef sites, recording canopy density, species counts and substrate cover to AAUS-aligned protocols with zero safety incidents. Mapped urchin barrens over 12 hectares using GPS-tagged photo-quadrats, quantifying purple urchin density (0–38 per m²) against Macrocystis canopy recovery for the lab thesis cohort. Collected and filtered 300+ eDNA water samples, maintaining chain-of-custody logs and contamination blanks at a 100% negative-control pass rate across 14 field days. Performed QA/QC on 150+ dive datasheets, cutting transcription errors by roughly 35% through double-entry checks and standardized species-code sheets. Built R/ggplot2 dashboards summarizing monthly survey trends for the PI, reducing weekly reporting prep from 6 hours to under 2.

Surveyed 12 rocky intertidal sites with 0.25 m² quadrats across 9 sampling events, logging 60+ invertebrate and algal taxa per site visit. Tracked sea star wasting disease prevalence on 1,200+ Pisaster individuals, flagging two outbreak clusters to project leads within 48 hours. Cataloged 2,500+ photo-plot images with standardized metadata, enabling percent-cover scoring for long-term trend datasets. Trained and supervised 15 community volunteers on survey protocols and safe tidepool access, maintaining consistent data quality. Entered and verified field data in shared spreadsheets, reaching 99% accuracy on end-of-season audits.

Logged daily water chemistry (pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrate) for 14 exhibit tanks, helping sustain stable conditions over 20 months. Cultured live feeds including rotifers and brine shrimp, supplying 8 species with consistent weekly nutrition schedules. Delivered 60+ public education talks to school groups and visitors, reaching an estimated 1,500 guests on local marine ecology. Assisted with quarantine, feeding and cleaning routines for 200+ animals under the supervision of husbandry staff.

GPA 3.78. Coursework: Ichthyology, Biological Oceanography, Biostatistics, GIS for Marine Science. Projects: Undergraduate thesis on urchin density vs kelp canopy recovery (2025–26); poster presented at Western Society of Naturalists 2025. Certifications: PADI Rescue Diver; CPR/First Aid/O2 Provider; CA Boater Card.