Ocean of Possibilities
Today, as a postdoctoral scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine, Rocker is investigating the effects of warming waters on shell disease in lobsters inhabiting the Gulf of Maine.
Her days involve a mix of fieldwork, lab experiments, data analysis, and writing. She loves that her research can lead to tangible outcomes. “It’s more than just the scientific paper that comes out of it,” says Rocker. “It’s the ability to provide this information to government entities that may be able to inform policy.”
Her marine biology career began with the decision to attend the College. “The second I stepped on campus, I thought, This is it. This is the place I want to be,” she says.
One of her favorite classes was, surprisingly, organic chemistry. She still has the guided workbook from her class, where peer-to-peer learning was encouraged. “I learned really easily from doing and doing with others,” says Rocker.
After graduation, Rocker didn’t plan on pursuing more research. “I was like, I’m done with education. I’m going to go live in the real world!” she says. But after a few years, she felt the itch to go back to school.
Having always wanted to visit Australia, she applied to James Cook University in Queensland, home to one of the world’s top marine biology programs.
Rocker spent almost 13 years Down Under, earning a doctorate and Australian citizenship. While living and working in southern Australia, COVID hit. Stuck on the other side of the globe, Rocker didn’t see her family for two years. A silver lining of the pandemic was reconnecting with a group of classmates from the Honors College to serve as a support group during lockdown. When travel restrictions eased, she felt it was time to move back to the States.
The small-town atmosphere of East Boothbay reminds her of the Australian cities she lived in previously. Her home, surrounded by trees, is perfect for her beloved dogs Kaya and Aspen, who “like to go on walkabout and disappear into the woods.”
Recently, Bigelow enlisted the help of three undergraduate interns, and as Rocker watched them collaborate, she was reminded of her own early experiences at the College. “You learn so much more from your peers,” she says.
As she reflects on her career thus far, there’s one thing Rocker believes every aspiring scientist should know: “To do science, you have to love the process,” she says. “It can be a lot of hard work, but it can also be super rewarding.”