Portrait of a Scientist: Rose Leeger

To kick off our Women’s History Month Q&A series, I met up with fellow CU student, Rose Leeger.

Hi Rose, please tell us about yourself and your background. What led you to where you are now? 

I am an Antarctic marine ecologist with a mission to help diversify ocean sciences. I grew up in Maryland, near the Chesapeake Bay, and was always mesmerized by the ocean. After becoming a student intern at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, I knew I wanted to pursue marine biology as a career. I enrolled in a small school located in South Florida called Nova Southeastern University, where I triple majored in marine biology, environmental science, and biology (I couldn’t pick just one!). Having this interdisciplinary approach to marine science allowed me to pursue various ecosystems, from the swamps of Florida’s Everglades to the pristine natural habitats of the Galapagos Islands, yet my favorite ecosystem I researched during my undergraduate career was Antarctica. I was awarded the NOAA Educational Partnership Program for Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) scholarship which gave me the opportunity to intern at NOAA science labs during the summers of my Junior and Senior year. As an intern with NOAA’s Antarctica Ecosystem Research Division, I could witness all the amazing research being conducted at NOAA field stations in Antarctica and how technology is transforming our understanding of such a remote ecosystem. This experience fueled me to pursue a PhD in polar marine biology, which is what I am currently doing today!

How would you describe your main scientific interests? 

I study the top fish predator in the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic toothfish. These remarkable fish can survive the frigid Antarctic waters due to some amazing adaptations, including antifreeze in their blood! All fish have otoliths, a calcium carbonate bone located in their ear, that can provide us with signals that show where the fish has moved throughout its entire life. Our lab looks at these otoliths using microchemistry, such as stable isotopes and trace metal presence, to understand where these fish have migrated and to fill in other life history characteristics. Did I mention these fish can live 50+ years?! Unfortunately, these lucrative fish are suspect to one of the biggest fishing industries in the world and are remarked as “Chilean sea bass.” While neither Chilean nor a bass, these fish need our help to better understand how we can protect their populations. My Ph.D. plans to uncover more information on Antarctic toothfish ecology and how we can better manage and protect the species through the intersection of science and policy.

What’s an area in academia/science that you feel needs to have more attention drawn/should be researched further to it?

We must put more effort into creating opportunities and spaces for diversifying ocean science. NSF reported in 2021 that just under 9% of graduate students in the ocean science field identified as being part of a minority community. There is no lack of interest or ambition from these communities, but entering a field that is primarily male-dominated and of a certain racial group is daunting and sometimes even impossible. In the last few years, some amazing groups have emerged, such as Minorites in Shark Sciences (MISS), Polar Impact, and Black in Marine Science (BIMS), that help create pathways for opportunities for minoritized communities. These include funding for conferences, workshops for professional development, and fieldwork opportunities. Within these groups comes a network of professionals: scientists, policymakers, educators, artists, and more. I am so fortunate to have found my network of support in the marine science field and have incorporated these values into my research and career to help pave the way for a more equitable field for future generations.

Who or what inspired you to go into your field? 

Ever since I was young, I was always passionate about the outdoors. I think my main turning point in the marine sciences field took place at the National Aquarium during my first summer. It had been another long day at the National Aquarium, but this time, I was covered in golden lion tamarin urine. These curious primates were known for their rambunctious behavior and often were fascinated with the guest’s shiny jewelry. My role was to educate guests about exhibits and maintain a safe distance between the organisms and the guests. Upset with the latter, these tamarins often marked their territory, and at age 15, I was a prime target. Nonetheless, I left the aquarium that day, and every day, with a smile on my face, eager to return. Never would I have dreamed that only three years later, I would be part of another project motivated around fecal matter, but this time, it was penguin guano samples fresh from Antarctica. The project name: “Penguano”. 

If you could give any one piece of advice to someone interested in pursuing higher education, what would it be?

Find your superpower. We may not all be the best at grant writing or public speaking, or data analysis but find what you excel at and what you’re passionate about. That’s what people will see and what will inspire them to find it within themselves. Remember, science works better together, not separately. Lean on your colleagues and peers and use those combined superpowers to help make a change in the world. Identifying these skills early on helped me as I tackled three majors in undergrad and was essential when applying for graduate programs. Starting a PhD is a huge commitment, and I wouldn’t advise anyone to start one until they know their passions. My passion started out by just enjoying the ocean and has now transformed into making the field a more diverse place. My superpowers have evolved from being terrified of public speaking to speaking at conferences with over 300 people in the audience. Learn from your network and their superpowers, and we can all follow our passions.

What was one of the funniest moments while working in the lab? 

I’ll never forget my first Halloween in the lab. Hayley, one of my lab mates and best friend, was looking for a fish costume for the holiday. Before we knew it, they had ordered the costume, and it would be arriving the next day. With the newly acquired fish costume, Hayley and I joined Ivory, our lab’s undergraduate intern, to walk around the main campus and interview students about their knowledge of the Antarctic and toothfish. The responses ranged from “Where is Antarctica?” and many students pointing up (to the North Pole, I would presume) to some having heard of “Chilean sea bass” and then reconsidering their decision to eat it again. This outreach experience was so much fun and truly was a great bonding experience within the lab.