The University of British Columbia

Research Interests

Trace metal physiology of marine phytoplanton; evolutionary physiological adaptations of phytoplankton to chronic nutrient limitation; biogeochemical cycling of macronutrients and trace metals in marine ecosystems; the role of the biological pump in global climate change, past and present; development of novel methods for tracking trace metal cycles (i.e. stable metal isotopes) 

 

Education

Ph.D. Student, Oceanography (Marine Biogeochemistry)
.  University of British Columbia, Jan 2007 - Present.

B.Sc. (Hon.) Biological Oceanography.  
University of British Columbia, April 2006
.  Thesis: Measurement of stable iron isotopes on a Nu MC-ICP-MS, and a novel reagent for the removal of extracellular iron in marine phytoplankton.

 

Publications

Lane, E.S., Semeniuk, D.M., Strzepek, R.F., Cullen, J.T., Maldonado, M.T., 2009.  Effects of iron limitation on intracellular cadmium of cultured phytoplankton: Implications for surface dissolved cadmium to phosphate ratio.  Mar. Chem. 115, 155-162. (link)

Semeniuk, D.M., Cullen, J.T., Johnson, W.K., Gagnon, K., Ruth, T.J., Maldonado, M.T., 2009.  Plankton copper requirements and uptake in the subarctic Northeast Pacific Ocean.  Deep Sea Res. I 56, 1130-1142. (link)

 

Conference Presentations

Semeniuk, D.M., Giesbrecht, T., Guo, J., Cullen, J.T., Ruth, T.J., Maldonado, M.T., 2010.  Revisiting the inorganic copper transport paradigm: is organically bound copper directly available to marine microorganisms?  EBIC Gordon Research Conference (Poster)

Semeniuk, D.M., Giesbrecht, T., Guo, J., Cullen, J.T., Ruth, T.J., Maldonado, M.T., 2010.  Copper homeostasis of a plankton community in the subarctic NE Pacific Ocean.  Ocean Sciences Meeting (Poster)

Taylor, R.T., Semeniuk, D.M., Payne, C.P., Maldonado, M.T., 2010. Co-limitation by nitrate, light, and iron in the Beaufort Sea.  Ocean Sciences Meeting (Poster)

Semeniuk, D.M., Cullen, J.T., Johnson, W.K., Gagnon, K., Ruth, T.J., Maldonado, M.T., 2008. Plankton copper requirements and uptake in the subarctic northeast Pacific Ocean.  Goldschmidt (Oral)

 

Honours and Awards

2009-2013 - UBC PhD Four Year Fellowship ($16,000 for 2013)

2009-2012 - Alexander Graham Bell Canadian Graduate Scholarship ($105,000)

2009 - Northern Scientific Training Program Grant ($3000)

2008 - Robert Rutherford Rae Scholarship
 for Oceanograhy Students ($1600)

2006 - NSERC USRA ($6500)

2006 - CEBIC Summer Research Fellowship (Declined)

2006 - Invitation to Golden Key Honours Society (Declined)

2005 - Center for Environmental Bioinorganic Chemistry (CEBIC) Summer Research Fellowship ($4000)

 

Field Work

Aug 2009: Canadian GEOTRACES Arctic Expedition

Sept 2008-May 2009: monthly sampling in Saanich Inlet, B.C.

May 2008: Subarctic Northeast Pacific Ocean (Line P)

Feb 2007: Subarctic Northeast Pacific Oceann (Line P)

Sept 2006: Subarctic Northeast Pacific Ocean (Line P)

 

Academic Leadership

2008-Present: EOS Grad Council Seminars Representative

2007-Present - EOS Grad Council OCGY Representative

2007-2008 - Coordinator of Departmental Ocean Science Seminar (OSSem)

2006-2008 - OSOC Academic Liason

2005 - Co-Founder and Vice President, UBC Oceanography Society (OSOC)

2005 - Student-facilitator, Seminal papers in marine biogeochemistry (4th year undergraduate course in the Dept. of Earth and Ocean Science, UBC); Student Directed Seminar Program