Ian Hewson
@ianhewson.bsky.social
PI of the Cornell Marine Mass Mortality Lab (CM3L). Views are my own. 🏳️🌈🇦🇺. 1st gen phd, immigrant. Swimming content at @oceansciswim.bsky.social lab site http//team-aquatic-virus.com travel blog @ianfliesplacez.bsky.social
So @bradweilerdives.bsky.social @ambonacolta.bsky.social do you know what this is? Aspidisca? Seems like it’s eating zooxanthellae. From the surface of SSID
December 9, 2025 at 4:38 PM
So @bradweilerdives.bsky.social @ambonacolta.bsky.social do you know what this is? Aspidisca? Seems like it’s eating zooxanthellae. From the surface of SSID
Last day in St Thomas on our Diadema project. Quick snorkel this morning to look at protists in the mucus of corals and were accompanied by some 8 legged friends! Back to the white north this afternoon…
December 9, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Last day in St Thomas on our Diadema project. Quick snorkel this morning to look at protists in the mucus of corals and were accompanied by some 8 legged friends! Back to the white north this afternoon…
Day 3 of December Diadema project trip. Today chased some non echinoid echinoderms (which are everywhere!) and then processed a bunch of experiments set up 48h ago. Also ran a couple of gels on the bento box- yay for real time data!! Last full day here. Heading home tomorrow!
December 8, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Day 3 of December Diadema project trip. Today chased some non echinoid echinoderms (which are everywhere!) and then processed a bunch of experiments set up 48h ago. Also ran a couple of gels on the bento box- yay for real time data!! Last full day here. Heading home tomorrow!
Day 2 of our December Diadema sampling in St Thomas. Today was all about diadema - collecting spines and coelomic fluid (blood) samples. This afternoon set up two approaches to detect our ciliate- LAMP and PCR (first time using a bento box!). Awesome to go from field to lab to results within 20yds.
December 7, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Day 2 of our December Diadema sampling in St Thomas. Today was all about diadema - collecting spines and coelomic fluid (blood) samples. This afternoon set up two approaches to detect our ciliate- LAMP and PCR (first time using a bento box!). Awesome to go from field to lab to results within 20yds.
Had a little spare time to interact with some ophiuroids too. These are the understudied yet ubiquitous and cryptic denizens of the coral reefs.
December 6, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Had a little spare time to interact with some ophiuroids too. These are the understudied yet ubiquitous and cryptic denizens of the coral reefs.
Day one of our December Diadema time series sampling today in St Thomas USVI with @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Marilyn Brandt. Fascinating to see season changes in microbial ecology of our site. Today we saw a big increase in diatoms, presumably due to cooler water.
December 6, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Day one of our December Diadema time series sampling today in St Thomas USVI with @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Marilyn Brandt. Fascinating to see season changes in microbial ecology of our site. Today we saw a big increase in diatoms, presumably due to cooler water.
First real snow of the season in Ithaca. Though I very much enjoy the snow, looking forward to an upcoming trip to the Caribbean to continue our project on Diadema scuticociliatosis
November 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
First real snow of the season in Ithaca. Though I very much enjoy the snow, looking forward to an upcoming trip to the Caribbean to continue our project on Diadema scuticociliatosis
Hmm maybe this is why my euk primers don’t work on some turf algal samples from St Thomas. Does anyone know what type of cyano this is? Lyngbya majuscula? It’s super purple…
November 14, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Hmm maybe this is why my euk primers don’t work on some turf algal samples from St Thomas. Does anyone know what type of cyano this is? Lyngbya majuscula? It’s super purple…
Ah Ithaca. Looking for the aurora that everyone else is reporting but alas, as usual, just clouds… for the next 5 months
November 12, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Ah Ithaca. Looking for the aurora that everyone else is reporting but alas, as usual, just clouds… for the next 5 months
Super proud of Dr Brayan Vilanova Cuevas for successfully defending his dissertation on Philaster diadema interactions. Well done, and watch out world!!
November 3, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Super proud of Dr Brayan Vilanova Cuevas for successfully defending his dissertation on Philaster diadema interactions. Well done, and watch out world!!
An amazing day in Southern California collecting Centrostephanus coronatus, the distant relative of Diadema antillarum for a microbiome sequencing project. Amazing weather and field assistants Mitch Johnson and Leo Wall. Let’s see how different these are to their tropical cousins…
October 20, 2025 at 1:51 AM
An amazing day in Southern California collecting Centrostephanus coronatus, the distant relative of Diadema antillarum for a microbiome sequencing project. Amazing weather and field assistants Mitch Johnson and Leo Wall. Let’s see how different these are to their tropical cousins…
But this is clearly wasting. Better let the authorities know that there is Vibrio pectenicida where you are. Close the beaches and bsl4 from now on
October 9, 2025 at 9:25 PM
But this is clearly wasting. Better let the authorities know that there is Vibrio pectenicida where you are. Close the beaches and bsl4 from now on
Sometimes you just have to sit and enjoy… I can’t have the ocean here in Ithaca but I can have vast expanses over which to gaze
October 5, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Sometimes you just have to sit and enjoy… I can’t have the ocean here in Ithaca but I can have vast expanses over which to gaze
Many thanks to Moriah Sevier, Marilyn Brandt, @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social Bella Ritchie and Brayan Vilanova Cuevas for making this trip such a success!
September 30, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Many thanks to Moriah Sevier, Marilyn Brandt, @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social Bella Ritchie and Brayan Vilanova Cuevas for making this trip such a success!
What an amazing way to kick off our Diadema project in Brewers Bay, USVI. Four days of hard work underwater, followed by hard days in the lab processing. Two experiments, and over 500 individual samples.
September 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
What an amazing way to kick off our Diadema project in Brewers Bay, USVI. Four days of hard work underwater, followed by hard days in the lab processing. Two experiments, and over 500 individual samples.
Final (full) day in USVI for NSF Diadema kickoff. This morning was about training the amazing Moriah Sevier at UVI in urchin sampling, then terminating experiments. This afternoon the team stole a couple of hours to go for a snorkel survey of Diadema in waters we had not previously scanned!
September 30, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Final (full) day in USVI for NSF Diadema kickoff. This morning was about training the amazing Moriah Sevier at UVI in urchin sampling, then terminating experiments. This afternoon the team stole a couple of hours to go for a snorkel survey of Diadema in waters we had not previously scanned!
Day 3 Diadema NSF kickoff. Today we tested out transect approaches and new high resolution visual transects on our second site on the western end of Brewers Bay. This afforded us the opportunity to sample additional Diadema at a second site. So many of them! Very encouraging to see!
September 29, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Day 3 Diadema NSF kickoff. Today we tested out transect approaches and new high resolution visual transects on our second site on the western end of Brewers Bay. This afforded us the opportunity to sample additional Diadema at a second site. So many of them! Very encouraging to see!
@aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social and Prof Marilyn Brandt
September 28, 2025 at 12:28 AM
@aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social and Prof Marilyn Brandt
Day 2 of Diadema kickoff. Today was all about Diadema itself (cf environmental parameters). We were excited to see so many apparently healthy animals in shallow water! We also set up an experiment to examine microbial participation in echinoderm tissue decay. Such a great start to this time series!
September 28, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Day 2 of Diadema kickoff. Today was all about Diadema itself (cf environmental parameters). We were excited to see so many apparently healthy animals in shallow water! We also set up an experiment to examine microbial participation in echinoderm tissue decay. Such a great start to this time series!
A logistical and scientific standpoint. So lots of trial and error but in the end we achieved our goals! We were even able to set up experiments as part of the project to understand macroalgal exudates impact on parasite loads. A lot of work but incredibly excited to see this start!
September 27, 2025 at 1:39 AM
A logistical and scientific standpoint. So lots of trial and error but in the end we achieved our goals! We were even able to set up experiments as part of the project to understand macroalgal exudates impact on parasite loads. A lot of work but incredibly excited to see this start!
Day 1 of NSF sponsored Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis time series in Brewers Bay, St Thomas, USVI with @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Prof Marilyn Brandt at UVI. After months of planning it was time to figure out what makes sense from
September 27, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Day 1 of NSF sponsored Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis time series in Brewers Bay, St Thomas, USVI with @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Prof Marilyn Brandt at UVI. After months of planning it was time to figure out what makes sense from