In this weeks episode I am joined by Hiroka Winter, an undergraduate biology student at the University of Nevada, Reno and an emerging researcher in marine ecology. She was part of the Pack Research Experience Program for two semesters. Hiroka worked in the lab of Elisa Baldrighi under the leadership of Jeffrey Baguley. Her research focuses on meiofauna—microscopic organisms living in deep-sea sediments—and their role as indicators of environmental health.

Most recently, Hiroka took part in a restoration expedition in the Gulf of Mexico, collaborating with scientists from organizations like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of the Interior. This work contributes to ongoing efforts to understand and restore deep-sea ecosystems impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill—one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history.

From overcoming self-doubt in her first semester to collecting deep-sea sediment aboard a research vessel, Hiroka’s story is one of curiosity, courage, and discovery at the smallest—and deepest—scales of life.