Camia M. Charniga

Title: Staff Chemist III; Chemical Ecology Program

Phone: (941) 388-4441 ext 339
Email: 

Ms. Charniga began in research isolating a proposed photosynthesizing sulfmethanogen for Dr. Robert Blankenship at Arizona State University. She continued in his lab isolating the cytochrome c553 protein from the Heliobacillus mobilis bacterium, presenting a poster at the Western Regional Photosynthesis Conference. Upon graduation, she entered the Peace Corps where she taught chemistry at the University of Western Samoa. While there, she wrote a chemistry lab manual and worked annually with the National Science Fair, and taught at the nursing school.

Camia has been an Staff Chemist III at Mote since 2005 and presently coordinates all field sampling efforts within the Chemical Ecology Program, including the ongoing Sarasota County and North Port City Ambient Monitoring Programs.  Parameters sampled include eutrophication related parameters and trace metals and is conducted under a NELAC-compliant Quality Plan. She has participated in Red Tide sampling in the Gulf of Mexico and sampling in numerous estuaries since 2005 and has coordinated and assisted in sediment nutrient flux studies with visiting scientists from Athens, Ga. She has sampled sea grasses for novel parameters, including epiphyte attenuation.  She also performs water quality analyses including; chlorophyll a, turbidity, conductivity, 5 day BOD and CBOD, color, pH, TSS, TDS and TVS, and spectrophotometric analysis of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM).As well as standard water quality analyses, she uses fluorescence excitation/emission matrices to detect coastal water masses related to red tide research and to analyze water and wastewater for anthropogenic influences to detect optical brighteners (in projects for FDEP and FDOH).  She was also the field leader and coordinator for several prior and ongoing continuous water quality monitoring projects.
Education
B.S. Chemistry, Arizona State University 

Department: Directorate of Environmental Health & Ocean Technology


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Mote Marine Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. Today, we incorporate public outreach as a key part of our mission. Mote is an independent nonprofit organization and has seven centers for marine research, the public Mote Aquarium and an Education Division specializing in public programs for all ages.

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