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9:30 a.m., July 30, 2003--Letise Houser, a doctoral candidate in marine biology/biochemistry in the College of Marine Studies, has been elected to a three-year term as student representative on the national board of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO).

Letise Houser, a doctoral candidate in UD’s College of Marine Studies, has been named to the National Board of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. University of Delaware photo

ASLO is the leading professional organization for researchers and educators in aquatic science. Limnology focuses on the study of fresh water, such as lakes and ponds, and oceanography on the study of marine or salty water.

As student representative, Houser said she hopes to encourage student involvement and help further initiatives that are geared toward students such as the ASLO minority program and student travel awards.

Houser’s research is focused on the causes of the yearly variation in the number of blue crabs in Delaware Bay. She is studying the horizontal swimming behavior of the larval stage of the blue crab, which may affect the formation and later distribution of patches of blue crab larvae. Since the population of adult blue crabs is thought to be dependent on where these patches eventually settle, her work may provide information that can be used to model the movement of larval patches in the bay and coastal ocean.

Houser also has been active in the community. She has given marine-related presentations to the Governor’s Academy for gifted students and teachers. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a service-oriented international sorority; has given poetry readings; and serves as an assistant coach of track and field at Cape Henlopen High School.

A graduate of Brown University, Houser received a bachelor of science in aquatic biology and a bachelor of arts in English with honors in creative writing. She has published a book of poetry, “Mood Spectrum.”