Research Assistant - Noe Barrera

Curriculum Vitae

Email: noe.barrera@tamucc.edu

Phone: 361.825.3044 Fax:: 361.825.2770

Research Interests

• Systematics, distribution and ecology of molluscs and micromolluscs of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean
  
  
• Coral reef ecology

Educational Background

• Master of Science, Marine Biology, Texas A&M Uni. Corpus Christi
• Post Baccalaureate, Professional Certification in Management Information Systems (MIS), Texas A&M Uni. Corpus Christi.
• Bachelor Science, Marine Emphasis Minor in Chemistry, Texas A&M Uni. Corpus Christi

Current Project

• Working on a book publication for A&M Press on, “Texas Seashells”.

CORAL REEF SYSTEMS

• September, 2001 - Flower Gardens Banks monitoring cruise, aboard the MV Fling, off Texas coast, Gulf of Mexico. Sponsor, Center for Coastal Studies Scientific Diving Program @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with loading and unloading of equipment; collect and preserve micromollusc samples; assist where needed.
  
  
• September, 2000 - Flower Gardens Banks monitoring cruise, aboard the MV Fling, off Texas coast, Gulf of Mexico. Sponsor, Center for Coastal Studies Scientific Diving Program @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with loading and unloading of equipment; collect and preserve micromollusc samples; assist where needed.
  
  
• September, 1998 - Flower Gardens Banks monitoring cruise, aboard the MV Fling, off Texas coast, Gulf of Mexico. Sponsor, Center for Coastal Studies Scientific Diving Program @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with loading and unloading of equipment; collect and preserve micromollusc samples; assist with coring of coral heads; assist where needed
  
  
• September, 1997 - Flower Gardens Banks monitoring cruise, aboard the MV Fling, off Texas coast, Gulf of Mexico. Sponsor, Center for Coastal Studies Scientific Diving Program @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with loading and unloading of equipment; collect and preserve micromollusc samples; assist where needed.
  
  
• June, 1997 - Alacran Reef, Yucatan, Mexico biofauna study. Location: Isla Perez, Alacran Reef. Sponsored by Center for Coastal Studies @ TAMU-CC, NASA, and Centro de Investigaciones Avancidos, (CINVESTAV)de Mexico. Transportation from Yucatan Peninsula to Alacran Reef provided by Mexican Navy. POSITION: Biologist; assist with biofauna study,(collection and identification of plant and animal species). Collect and preserve micromollusc samples.
  
  
• October, 1996 - Flower Gardens Banks monitoring cruise, aboard MV Spree, off the Texas coast, Gulf of Mexico. Sponsored by the Scientific Diving Program, Center for Coastal Studies @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist where needed.
  
  
• June, 1996 - Flower Garden Banks monitoring cruise, aboard MV Spree, off the Texas Coast, Gulf of Mexico. Sponsored by NOAA. POSITION: BIOTECH; collect and preserve micromollusc samples,
  
  
• June, 1993 - Study the ecology of the Veracruz/Anton Lizardo Reef complex. Coral Reef Ecology Class, TAMU-CC. Professor; John W. Tunnell Jr. Ph.D. @ TAMU-CC. GRADUATE PROJECT: Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbon analysis of the sediments of Isla de Media, Enmedio Reef, Veracruz, Mexico. Also to assist in a photographic transect of the midreef depth zone.
  
  
• June, 1991 - Coral Reef Ecology of the Veracruz/ Anton Lizardo Reef complex. Coral Reef Ecology Class, TAMU-CC. Professor Dr. J.W. Tunnell Jr. @ TAMU-CC. UNDERGRADUATE PROJECT: assist graduates with study, and learn the biota of the coral reef system.
  
  

MOLLUSCAN RESEARCH

• October, 1997 - Molluscan Fauna research from Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico south to Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico. Biology of the Mollusca class @ TAMU-CC. Professor: J.W. Tunnell Jr. Ph.D. POSITION: Graduate Assistant; Interpret when needed, (Spanish/English); assist in collecting molluscan specimens; and update Perna perna migration along the Mexico, Gulf of Mexico coastline.
  
  
• October, 1993 - Collection and identification of Molluscan fauna from Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico south to Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico. Biology of the Mollusca class @ TAMU-CC. Professor: J.W. Tunnell Jr. Ph.D. GRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT: Quantitative analysis on the migration of Perna perna on the Mexico, Gulf of Mexico coast.
  
  

ESTUARINE SYSTEMS

• October, 1995 - Fishery survey on McFaddin and Texas Point NWRs. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of fish.
  
  
• September, and August, 1995 - Fishery survey , Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Sponsored by Fisheries Resource Office/ Fish and Wildlife Service @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of fish species.
  
  
• December, 1994 - Fishery monitoring survey on Brazoria NWR. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of fish
  
  
• October, 1994 - Fishery survey, McFaddin NWR. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of fish
  
  
• Spring, 1991 - Estuarine Organisms, class @ TAMU-CC. Professor: J.W. Tunnell Jr. Ph.D. POSITION: Student; study estuarine organisms from La Pesca, Mexico, (=150 miles south of Matamoros-Brownsville border) north to approximately the Port Aransas jetties.
  

RIVERINE SYSTEMS

• September, and August, 1995 - Fish survey on the Rio Grande River at several points between Brownsville and Anzalduas Dam. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of fish.
  
  
• April, 1995 - Fishery survey on the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation and Trinity River. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of ichthyofauna.
  
• January, 1995 - Fishery survey on Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with capture and identification of fish
  
  
• December, 1994 - Fishery survey on the Rio Grande River from Retamal Dam to approximately 30 miles upstream of Anzalduas Dam. Sponsored by FRO/FWS @ TAMU-CC. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with locating sites suitable for launching small boats
  

OCEANIC

• November-December 1994 - Last leg of 10 million dollar water sampling project, known as the LATEX (Louisiana-Texas) cruise, aboard the TAMU College Station RV GYRE. POSITION: Biological Technician, in charge of collecting and preserving microzooplankton for Dr. Ed Buskey ,(PI, UTMSI-Port Aransas, TX).
  
  
• September, 1994 - By-catch Reduction Device Study (BRDS) in Gulf of Mexico, aboard the NOAA RV Oregon II, stationed at Pascagoula, Miss. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with SCUBA maintenance, identification of By-catch and shrimp species, and assist with maintenance of collection gear.
  
  
• May, 1994 - Predator-Prey food habits survey, aboard the NOAA RV Delaware II, stationed at Woods Hole Ma.; study accomplished on Georges Bank, Northwest Atlantic. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with identification of Ichthyofauna, identification (of some stomach material) and preservation of stomach contents using Cryogenic procedures for DNA analysis.
  
  
• April, 1994 - Small pelagic ichthyofauna survey using regular trawling procedures as the control and hydroacoustic sonar as the test equipment; chlorophyll extraction from surface water; DNA patterning between offshore Turciops truncatus and nearshore T. truncatus, using the standard crossbow technique for collection of samples, on the continental shelf off the west coast of Florida, eastern Gulf of Mexico, aboard the RV Chapman, stationed at Pascagoula, Miss. POSITION: BIOTECH; Identification of ichthyofauna; assist with dolphin watch; assist with preserving dolphin samples; and extraction and preservation of chlorophyll from water samples.
  
  
• August 1993 - Atlantic Deep Sea Scallop (Placopectin magelenica) survey and whale watch. Aboard the Albatross IV, Woods Hole, Ma. On Georges Bank, northeast Atlantic. POSITION: BIOTECH; assist with measuring and counting scallops; assist with whale watch. “Attempted” to create a graduate project using NOAA Research Vessels and government funding, but was not successful (learning experience quite valuable).

• Hicks, D.W., N.C. Barrera, and J.W. Tunnell, Jr. 2001. Ecological distribution of shallow-water mollusks of Alacrán reef, Campeche Bank, Yucatan, Mexico. Texas Conchologist 38: 7-30.