VALERIA SCHMIDT

Phone: (970) 765 4512 | Email: vjs2@princeton.edu

Address: 4913 Frist CTR, Princeton NJ, 08544.

EDUCATION & AWARDS

Artium Baccalaureus (3rd Year): Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, certificate in Sept./15 -
Spanish and Environmental Sciences. Present
Princeton University, New Jersey, United States of America.

o Quest bridge Award

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Princeton Environmental Institute Scholarship: Field & Research Intern with the June/1-Aug./17
Putnam Lab
Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), St. George’s, Bermuda.
o Conducted research under Dr. Samantha de Putron, Dr. Hollie Putnam and Ph.D. candidate Kevin Wong
to study the reproductive plasticity of adult Porites astreoides colonies in various environmental
conditions experienced at an inshore patch reef.
o Measured calcification rates, RGB color changes, respiration and photosynthesis rates at different time
points.

o Collected and preserved lipid samples, DNA samples and microbial samples.
o Achieved a high laboratory and data processing productivity while assisting with other collaborative
projects occurring at BIOS.
Coral Reef Ecology Course: Teacher Assistant Aug./17
Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), St. George’s, Bermuda.
o Assist students with multiple line and quadrat surveys that asses and identify benthic
cover, fish species size and abundance, size and abundance of juvenile recruits and
presence of coral disease.
o Prepared solutions and lab materials; photocopy/print course materials; set up AV
equipment; assist with any other duties as assigned by the course instructors.
o Assist students in all laboratory equipment use and methodology.
o Grade all laboratory reports, experiments, exams and presentations.
Princeton Environmental Institute Scholarship: Field & Research Intern with the May/6-Sep/16
Sigman Lab.
Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), St. George’s, Bermuda.
o Conducted research under Dr. Samantha de Putron, Dr. Daniel Sigman and Ph.D. candidate Victoria
Luu on the Effect of feeding and light on the growth of juvenile colonies of the Atlantic coral Porites
astreoides.
o Fed juvenile Porites astreoides.
o Measured growth of juvenile Porites astreoides at multiple time points.
o Measured calcifications rates at multiple time points.
o Collected and preserved lipid samples, DNA samples and microbial samples.
o Collected nutrient, water and ammonia samples daily to monitor conditions.
Sigman Lab Laboratory & Research Assistant Sep/16-Jan/17
Sigman Lab, Princeton University, New Jersey, United States.
o Processed samples collected the previous summer to conclude our research. This
included performing mass.
Freshman Scholar’s Institute June/15-Aug/15
Schultz Lab, Princeton University, New Jersey, United States of America.
 o Achieved multiple site-directed mutagenesis of transformed bacterial plasmid,
which provided the research team with the means to study the role of certain genes
in C. elegans.
o Performed restriction digest and DNA sequence analysis of recombinant plasmid
constructs, which confirmed the identity of recombinant plasmids and presence
mutated sites.
o Successfully grew transformed bacteria cultures, which provided the research team
with cultures for DNA mutation in the nematode C. elegans.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

December 13-15, 2017. European Coral Reef Symposium (ECRS), Oxford, England. Victoria Luu, Samantha J
de Putron, Valeria Schmidt*, Anne Cohen, Daniel Sigman: Effect of feeding and light on the growth of juvenile
colonies of the Atlantic coral Porites astreoides.
FIELD EXPERIENCE
R.V. Atlantic Explorer – Sargasso Sea July/16– BSAE1712
Sigman/de Putron Lab – St. George’s, Bermuda June/16 – Sept/16
Putnam/de Putron Lab – St. George’s, Bermuda May/17 – Sept/17
SKILLS & TECHNIQUES

Laboratory
o Symbiodinium quantification
o Coral growth monitoring
o Larval analysis (fecundity,
lunar periodicity, volume,
settlement and growth rates)
o Tissue sampling (DNA, total
protein, zoox density) and snap
freezing.
o Mass spectrometer
(spectrophotometer)
o Genomic DNA & RNA
isolation
Field Sampling
o Instrument handling (CTD, plankton net,
sediment grab, & rosette).
o Recording of data accurately.
o YSI measurements of Temperature, Salinity,
Conductivity and pH.
o PCR amplification & o Plasmid isolation
optimization o Microorganism culture
o Agarose gel o Site-directed mutagenesis
electrophoresis o Plasmid transformation
o DNA restriction o DNA sequence analysis
digestion & ligation o Gene & recombinant DNA
o DNA preparation for cloning
sequencing o Chemistry Laboratory
o DNA purification Skills including TLC,
o cDNA synthesis NMR, extractions,
o qPCR & RT-qPCR distillation, etc.
o Water filtration (glass, polycarbonate &
Steryvex).
o Sample collection & fixation (DIC, DNA,
DOC, nutrients, O2, proteins, RNA, SAGs &
salinity).
o Coral and planulae collection.

Computer
o RStudio for statistics. o HOBOware.
o Image J for image analysis. o Microsoft Office: Word, Excel and
o Adobe Photoshop CC 2017. PowerPoint.
o Plot: RStudio Programming and Matlab.

Communication
o Bilingual – Fluent in English and Spanish. o Presentation of research methods, progress &
o Scientific writing of formal reports. results.
 CERTIFICATIONS

o Introduction to R Programming. o Laboratory Safety.

o Introduction to Matlab. o Emergency First Responder (EMF)/O2.

RELEVANT COURSE WORK

o General Chemistry. * o Junior independent o Oceans, atmosphere and
o Organic Chemistry. * work: Coral adaptation climate. *
o Ecology: Species to rapid changes in o Life on earth: Chaos and
Interactions. * temperature. * Clockwork. *
o Molecular Biology. * o Behavioral ecology. *denotes lab component.
o Animal Behavior. o Comparative
Physiology. *
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

Marine Turtle Rescue Volunteer Sep./16 - Dec./16

Marine Rescue Centre – La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
o Contributed to the protection and rehabilitation of turtles.

Red Cross Volunteer

El Centro De La Cruz Roja – La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Nov./13 - Apr./14
o Lead several fundraisers on behalf of the Red Cross.

Volunteer at Montrose First Church of the Nazarene

First Church of the Nazarene – Montrose, Colorado, United States of America. June/15 - July/15
o Educated young girls transitioning from middle school to high school in sexual education, body image
concerns, physical changes and needs, social issues, course load and interacting with peers and
professors.