Meet Joseph Lemanski

Biology Major

Highland, Mich.

SHU biology major Joseph Lemanski was awarded a research internship in summer 2011. Lemanski spent his summer in Texas examining the effects of the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill on the deep-water organisms in the Gulf of Mexico.

"I spent 10 weeks in Galveston, Texas, participating in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for undergraduates program studying the effects of the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill on deep-Gulf of Mexico benthic communities," he said. "Nine box core samples were taken near the spill site, and I sorted the samples for macrofauna and classified them to major taxa. I then recorded the numbers of animals of each taxon and compared them to the values reported in the 2000-2002 deep Gulf of Mexico Benthos study.

"I found that several classes of animals showed significant changes in abundance and percent composition. In particular, crustaceans decreased, while aplacophorans increased. These results indicate that the equilibrium of the deep-sea community has been disrupted. This internship was an experience I will never forget and has provided many more opportunities for the continuation of my educational career."

Out of the classroom, Lemanski is a member of the SHU men's golf team and is active in the Greek system on campus.