Ana Samperiz

Ana Samperiz

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Florida State University. Interested in coral growth processes, isotope and trace metal geochemistry, and paleoceanography.

What can I do?

Methods and lab skills

The primary methodologies and lab-based skills I have developed during my career include:

  • Data acquisition through computerised tomography (CT) and processing of 3-dimensional datasets.
  • Spot, transect and spatial analysis of minor and trace elements in biogenic carbonates and silicate minerals with Laser Ablation (LA) - ICPMS and data processing.
  • Stable isotope (ẟ13C and ẟ18O) analysis in marine carbonates.
  • Mineralogical analyses (XRD) and SEM imaging.
  • Physical and chemical cleaning of marine samples and sample preparation for AMS and MC-ICP-MS analyses.
  • Stylasterid and scleractinia corals morphological identification up to species level.

In the office

  • Remote Sensing: I have experience collecting and processing remote sensing environmental data (Level 2 and Level 3). These include derived variables from ocean colour (e.g., seawater turbidity, chlorophyll-a concentration, particulate organic and inorganic matter), seawater temperature and salinity, cloud cover, wind speed and direction and precipitation.
  • CT processing: I use Avizo (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and Image J (FIJI) to process CT data and obtain growth measurements (linear extension, density, calcification) from coral samples.
  • LA-ICPMS data processing: I use both LAtools and iolite to process LA-ICPMS data.
  • R (R Markdown + GIT): The majority of my data analysis is done in R. This includes tidying databases, statistical analysis and modelling, data visualization and spatial analysis.
  • GIS: I use ArcGIS and QGIS to map and illustrate environmental spatial data.
  • Ocean Data View (ODV) to visualise oceanographic data.
  • I also have wide experience in environmental education and science communication, including organisation, design and implementation of activities.

Fieldwork experience

Galapagagos 2024

This expedition took place in August 2024, during which we sailed the Galapagos archipelago and visited 10 island where we collected and drilled fossil specimens of massive shallow-water corals that have been washed ashore and deposited in coastal areas.

Galapagos Deep 2023 - AT50-09

In this expedition (March - April 2023) in Galapagos we collected deep-sea live and fossil corals, seawater, basaltic lavas and sediment cores. On board, I lead the fossil coral sampling team and curation efforts, as well as the seawater sampling procedures. Also, implemented CTD instrumentation during water sampling and sediment coring.

Read more about the Galapagos Deep 2023 Expedition here.

COACTION - Fiji 2019

During this field campaign (February 2019) we collected a 50cm long core from a massive Diploastrea heliopora colony covering a span of over 100 years.

ICY-LAB 2017 - DY081

During the DY081 expedition (July - August 2017) we sailed around the Labrador Sea in the NW Atlantic collecting samples of seawater, particles, sediments, and biological specimens. My responsibilities on board included sorting and curating biological specimens, both living and fossil samples. I also helped deploying CTDs, and sediment coring instruments and onboard water sampling.

You can read more about the ICY-LAB project here.