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Jenny Dreyer Home Page

Jennifer Dreyer

Assistant Research Scientist and Curator of VIMS Invertebrate Collection

Email: [[v|jcdrey]]
Phone: (804) 684-7903 office, (804) 684-7606 lab
Office: Andrews Hall 103
Section: Natural Resources

Education
  • M.S.  The College of William & Mary, 2004 
  • B.S.   University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1998   
Research interests

I am an Assistant Research Scientist in the VIMS Benthic Ecology Lab and the curator of the VIMS Invertebrate Collection. During my 19 years at VIMS I have worked on a variety of projects including: benthic and oyster bed community dynamics in Chesapeake Bay; oyster restoration; tidal freshwater ecosystems of the York River and its tributaries; phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology in Antarctica and Vietnam; and coordinating the VIMS Research Experiences for Undergraduates Summer Program for 8 years (2012-2019). 

My other research interests include polychaete taxonomy and systematics, natural history collections, hydrothermal vent ecology, benthic deep-sea biology, and environmental impacts on benthic communities.

Field Experience
  • 2011 - Present                                  Chesapeake Bay and tidal freshwater systems, VA/MD
  • July 13 - Aug. 5, 2009                     Nha Trang, Vietnam
  • Jan. 31 - Feb 4, 2006                      R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer, Ross Sea (IVARS)
  • Dec.13, 2005 - Jan. 30, 2006         R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer, Ross Sea (CORSACS)
  • Feb. 26 - March 3, 2005                  R/V Western Flyer using ROV Tiburon, Southern CA
  • Jan.25 - Feb. 16, 2005                    R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer, Ross Sea (IVARS)
  • Dec.10 - 28, 2004                            USCGC Polar Star, Ross Sea (IVARS)
  • Feb.1- 9, 2004                                  USCGC Polar Star, Ross Sea (IVARS)
  • July 22 - Aug. 3, 2003                     R/V Atlantis using DSV Alvin Blake Ridge Cold Seep, SC
  • May 12 - 24, 2003                            R/V Delaware II, Bear Seamount off Georges Banks
  • Dec. 9, 2001- Jan.1, 2002               R/V Atlantis using the DSV Alvin Eastern Pacific Rise
  • Aug. 25 - 31, 1998                           R/V Edwin Link using the RS Clelia, Gulf of Maine
Research Experience
  • July 2023- Present              Assistant Research Scientist  Virginia Institute of Marine Science
  • July 2016- June 2023        Research Manager                  Virginia Institute of Marine Science
  • May 2004 - July  2016        Marine Scientist Senior          Virginia Institute of Marine Science
  • Aug. 2002 - Dec. 2002       Research Assistant                  The College of William & Mary
  • Oct. 1999 - June 2002        Research Associate I              University of Hawaii at Manoa
  • Mar. 1999 - June 1999        Lab Technician                       University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Dec. 1998 - Mar. 1999        Groundfish Observer             Saltwater Inc., / NMFS
  • Sept. 1998 - Dec. 1998       Student Assistant II                University of Alaska Fairbanks
  • June 1998 - Aug. 1998       REU Summer Intern               Darling Marine Center, University of Maine
  • Oct. 1997- May 1998          Research Assistant                 University of Alaska Fairbanks
Grants
  • July 2020          NSF Grant: Digitization TCN: Collaborative Research: Documenting marine biodiversity through Digitization of Invertebrate collections (DigIn)
  • Oct 2018          Grant Award from City of Virginia Beach: Hurds Cove, Lynnhaven River, Benthic Macrofaunal Community Analysis
Awards
  • June 2023               VIMS Diversity and Inclusion Award
  • May 2023                VIMS Professional Faculty & Staff Development Fund Awar        
  • Oct 2022                 VIMS Professional Faculty & Staff Development Fund Award
  • Oct 2019                 VIMS Professional Faculty & Staff Development Fund Award
  • Oct 2018                 VIMS Professional Faculty & Staff Development Fund Award
  • Oct 2016                 VIMS Professional Faculty & Staff Development Fund Award
  • May 2016                VIMS Outstanding Staff Employee Award for Technical Support
  • Sept. 2012              VIMS Professional Faculty & Staff Development Fund Award
  • April 2006               National Science Foundation U.S. Antarctic Service Medal
  • Jan - May 2004      W&M Teaching Assistantship
  • Aug - Dec. 2003     W&M Teaching Assistantship
  • July 2003                American Museum of Natural History Lerner Gray Memorial Fund
  • June 2003               W&M Student Activities Conference Fund Award
  • April 2003               W&M Graduate Student Association Conference Fund Award
  • Feb. 2003                W&M Carol Woody Internship Award
  • Jan - May 2003       W&M Teaching Assistantship
  • Aug - Dec. 2002     W&M Research Assistantship
  • Oct. 2002                W&M Minor Research Grant award
  • Mar. 1998                UAF Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Grant
Publications

  • Smith, Jr., W.O., Shields, A.R., Dreyer, J., Peloquin, J., & Asper, V.A. (2011). Interannual variability in vertical export in the Ross Sea:  Magnitude, composition, and environmental correlates. Deep Sea Research I, 58 (2):147-159. 
  • Smith, W.O., Tozzi, S., Shields, A., Dreyer, J., & Peloquin, J. (2009). Interannual, Seasonal and Event-Scale Variability in the Ross Sea. Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry News, 2(2): 1-4. 
  • Kvist, S., Dreyer, J., & Erséus, C. (2008). Two new species of Tubificoides (Annelida: Clitellata: Naididae) from the Blake Ridge methane seep in the North-west Atlantic Ocean. Proceedings of the Biological Society ofWashington, 121 (4): 531-540.
  • Salazar-Vallejo, S.I., Imajima, M., Bailey-Brock, J.H., & Dreyer, J.  (2007). Revision of Pseudexogone Augener, 1922 (Polychaeta: Syllidae) and its transfer to Pilargidae.  Zoosystema, 29 (3): 535-553. 
  • Illustrations by Dreyer, J. (2006) Chapter 29. An Introduction to Shell-Forming Marine Organisms. In Sturm, C.F., Pearce, T.A., Valdes, A. (Eds.), The Mollusks: A Guide to Their Study, Collection, and Preservation (pp 359-371). Boca Raton, Florida: Universal Publishers.
  • Dreyer, J., Knick, K.E., Flickinger, W.B. & Van Dover, C.L. (2005). Development of macrofaunal community structure in mussel beds on the northern East Pacific Rise. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 302: 121-134.
  • Erseus, C., Giere, O., Dreyer, J., Bailey-Brock, J.H. (2005). A new species of Tubificoides (Oligochaeta) from Sand Island, Oahu, Hawaii. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 118 (2): 264-269.
  • Dreyer, J., Bailey-Brock, J., & McCarthy, S. (2005). Effects of Hurricane Iniki on intertidal faunal on the South Shore of Oahu. Marine Environmental Research, 59: 367-380.
  • Dreyer, J., Miura, T. & Van Dover, C.L. (2004). Vesicomyicola trifurcatus, a New Species of Commensal Polychaete found in Deep-sea Clams collected from the Blake Ridge Cold Seep. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 117 (1): 106-113.
  • Bailey-Brock, J.H., Dreyer, J. & Brock, R.E. (2003). Three new species of Saccocirrus (Saccocirridae Czerniavsky, 1881,Polychaeta), from Hawaii’i. Pacific Science, 57 (4): 463-478.
  • Turnipseed, M., Knick, K.E., Lipcius, R.N., Dreyer, J. & C.L. Van Dover. (2003). Diversity in mussel beds at hydrothermal and cold seeps. Ecology Letters 6: 1-6.
  • Bailey-Brock, J.H., Paavo, B., Barrett, B.M., & Dreyer, J. (2002). Polychaete species as organic enrichment indicators from Oahu, Hawaii'i. Pacific Science 156 (4): 459-479.
  • Bailey-Brock, J.H., Paavo, B., Barrett, B.M. & Dreyer, J. (2001) Changes in Pollution Indicators at the Sand Island Sewage Outfall. Proceedings of the Ocean’s Conference 2001 MTS/IEEE. Volume 3. ISBN# 0-933957-28-9.
  • Gerken, S., & Gross, J. (2000). Gynodiastylis laciniacristatus, a new species (Crustacea: Cumacea) from Australia. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 113 (1), 95-103.
  • Van Dover, CL., Trask, J., Gross, J., & Knowlton, A. (1999). Reproductive biology of free-living and commensal polychaetes at the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Marine Ecology Progress Series 181, 201-214.
  • Illustrations by Dreyer, J. in Gutierrez-Antrim, L. 2005. To Shell or Not to Shell: an Introduction to Shell Forming Invertebrates. How to Collect Shells. Charles Sturm, Ed. Museum of Pittsburgh. In Press.
Research Reports and Other Research Contributions
  • Kellogg, M.L., Dreyer, J.C., Turner, C., Pant, M., Ross, P.G., Birch, A., Fate, S., Smith, E. & Paynter, K. (2019). Oyster reef ecosystem services: Macrofauna utilization of restored oyster reefs. Final Report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office. 38pp.
  • Kellogg, M.L., Turner, J., Dreyer, J.C., & Massey, G.M. (2018). Environmental and ecological benefits and impacts of oyster aquaculture: Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA. Final Report to the Nature Conservancy. 19pp. https://doi.org/10.25773/hdb1-xf91
  • Kellogg, M.L., Turner, J., Dreyer, J.C., & Friedrichs, C. (2018). Environmental and ecological benefits and impacts of oyster aquaculture: Addendum. Final Report to the Nature Conservancy. 13pp. https://doi.org/10.25773/r01b-tg44
  • Kellogg, M.L., Dreyer, J.C., Pant, M. & Turner, C. (2017). Seasonal Patterns in Nitrogen Cycling: Keeling Drain Reef, Lynnhaven River, Virginia. Final Report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office. 4pp.
  • Kellogg, M.L, Ross, P.G., Luckenbach, M.W., Dreyer, J.C., Pant, M., Birch, A., Fate, S., Smith, E., Paynter, K. (2016).  Integrated assessment of oyster reef ecosystem services: Fish utilization and trophic linkages.  Final Report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office. 20pp.
  • Kellogg, M.L., Cornwell, J.C., Owens, M.S., Luckenbach, M.W., Ross, P.G., Leggett, A.T., Dreyer, J.C., Lusk, B., Birch, A. and Smith, E. (2014).  Scaling ecosystem services to reef development: Effects of oyster density on nitrogen removal and reef community structure.  Final Report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office. 34pp.
  • Contributor to: A species list of the polychaetes and invertebrates found in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii in 1999. Identified a large majority of these polychaetes believed to be introduced species from shipping or military vessels docking at the harbor.
  • Contributor to: Benthic Sampling in the Vicinity of Sewage Outfalls off Tanguisson and Agana, Guam, Mariana Islands WRRC Report 2001. Compiled a species list of polychaetes and invertebrates, taxonomic illustrations, and report for two proposed sewage outfalls in Guam.
  • Contributor to: The Impacts of Polydactylus Sexfilis Mariculture on the Benthos
    • Report Number one of three HOARP Phase III. Feb 2002
    • Report Number two of three HOARP Phase III. April 22, 2002
    • Report Number three of three HOARP Phase III. June 2002
  • Contributor to: A species list and taxonomic illustrations of the polychaetes and invertebrates for the regional EMAP project funded by the EPA. Samples were taken from 5 Hawaiian Islands.
Presentations
  • November 8-12, 2015: Kellogg, M.L., Cornwell, J.C., Owens, M.S., Ross, P.G., Paynter, K.T., Dreyer, J.C., Luckenbach, M.W. Integrated assessment of ecosystem services provided by tributary-scale oyster reef restoration in Chesapeake Bay. 23rd Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference (CERF), Portland, OR.
  • December 10-13, 2014: Kellogg, M.L., Ross, P.G., Lusk, B., Luckenbach, M.W., Dreyer, J.C. Relationships between oyster biomass density and macrofaunal community structure. 16th International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, Charleston, SC.
  • December 10-13, 2014: Kellogg, M.L., Paynter, K.T., Cornwell, J.C., Ross, P.G., Owens, M.S., Handschy, A.V., Dreyer, J.C., Luckenbach, M.W. Integrated assessment of oyster reef ecosystem services: Harris Creek, MD. 16th International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, Charleston, SC.
  • March 20-24, 2013: J. Dreyer, M. Freedman, S. Ramirez, and L.C. Schaffner. Community structure of tidal freshwater benthic communities associated with the invasive clam, Corbicula fluminea, in the tributaries of the York River,VA. Poster presentation at the 42nd Benthic Ecology Meeting, Savannah, GA.
  • March 20-24, 2013: I. Sivaipram, J. Dreyer, L.C. Schaffner. Daily settlement of estuarine crab megalopae in the York River, Chesapeake Bay, USA. Poster presentation at the 42nd Benthic Ecology Meeting, Savannah, GA.
  • March 20-24, 2013: M.R. Freedman, J. Dreyer, L.C. Schaffner. Distribution of invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea in tidal freshwater York River tributaries. Oral presentation at the 42nd Benthic Ecology Meeting, Savannah, GA.
  • June 4-9, 2006  S. Tozzi, J. Peloquin, J. Dreyer  Development of new flowcam flow cytometer protocol for processing samples with a wide range of different sized phytoplankton from the Ross Sea, Antarctica.  Poster presentation at the ASLO Summer Meeting: Global Challenges Facing Oceanography and Limnology, Victoria, B.C., Canada.
  • October 10-14, 2005 J. Peloquin, A. Shields, J. Dreyer and W.O. Smith The association of microzooplankton with colonial Phaeocystis antarctica in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Poster presentation at the 3rd International Conference on the Oceanography of the Ross Sea Antarctica, Venice, Italy.
  • August 20-28, 2004 C.L.Van Dover and J. Dreyer Temporal change in mussel bed communities at deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the East Pacific Rise. 32nd International Geological Congress, Florence, Italy.
  • July 5-9, 2004 J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover A new genus and species of Nautiliniellidae found in deep-sea clams at the Blake Ridge cold seep. Poster presentation at the 8th International Polychaete Conference, Madrid, Spain.
  • July 5-9, 2004 R.J. Mroz, J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover A histological investigation into the internal anatomy of a new species of commensal polychaete from the family Nautiliniellidae at the Blake Ridge methane hydrate. Poster presentation at at the 8th International Polychaete Conference, Madrid, Spain.
  • July 5-9, 2004 S.I. Salazar-Vallejo, I. Minora, J.H. Bailey-Brock, J. Dreyer Review of Psuedoexogone Augener, 1922 (Polychaeta: Syllidae) and its reassignment to Pilargidae. Poster presentation at the 8th International Polychaete Conference, Madrid, Spain.
  • February 13, 2004 J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover Time-series comparisons of hydrothermal-vent mussel bed communities on the East Pacific Rise between 1999 and 2001. Poster presentation at the 3rd Annual Graduate Research Symposium at the College of William and Mary, VA.
  • August 25-30, 2003 J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover Community Structure of Hydrothermal- vent mussel beds on the East Pacific Rise between 1999 and 2001. Oral presentation at the 10th Deep-Sea Biology Symposium, Coos Bay, OR
  • March 28-30, 2003 J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover Time-series comparisons of hydrothermal-vent mussel bed communities on the East Pacific Rise between 1999 and 2001. Poster presentation at the 32nd Marine Benthic Ecology Meeting in Groton, CT.
Invited Speaker
  • July 23, 2016: J. Dreyer. Benthic Invertebrates and Beyond. Invited speaker for the College of William & Mary Camp Launch gifted student Summer Program.
  • April 15, 2016: J. Dreyer. Benthic Invertebrates. Invited speaker for James River Elementary 5th grade.
  • January 12, 2015: J. Dreyer. Travels to the end of the Earth: .Antarctica. Invited speaker for the Eastern Shore of VA Anglers Club meeting.
  • July 15, 2014: J. Dreyer. Diving to the Deep Sea. Invited speaker for a summer camp program “What if you could…dive to the deep?” at Mathews County Library.
  • February 19, 2013: J. Dreyer. Benthic Ecology. Invited guest lecturer for GOL 112 Introduction to Oceanography II course for Thomas Nelson Community College.
  • January 23, 2013: J. Dreyer. Life in the Deep Sea: Hydrothermal Vents & Beyond. Invited Speaker for the Williamsburg Rotary International Club.
  • November 17, 2009: J. Dreyer.  Presentations on Careers in Marine Science and Hydrothermal vents.  Invited speaker for Career Day at Menchville High School 10th grade Marine Biology class.
  • December 8, 2006:  J. Dreyer.  Life at the Bottom of the Ocean:  Hydrothermal Vents. Invited guest lecturer for Biology 108N course at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
  • April 30, 2004: J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover.  Dynamics at Hydrothermal Vents: Evidence for Stable Macrofaunal Communities in Mussel Beds on the Northern East Pacific Rise.  Invited departmental seminar at the University of South Carolina Spartanburg, Spartanburg, SC.
  • March 7-9, 2004   J. Dreyer and C.L. Van Dover.  Temporal variation in mussel bed communities on the East Pacific Rise between 1999 and 2001.  Oral presentation at the Southampton Oceanography Centre, Southampton, England as part of a three-day workshop on chemosynthetic ecosystems and reproduction.
Teaching
  • Aug. 2010- Dec. 2010        General Biology 101- Adjunct Faculty, TNCC
  • Aug. 2010- Dec. 2010        General Biology Lab 102- Adjunct Faculty, TNCC
  • Jan. 2003- May 2003          Biology 200 Lab- Teaching Assistant, College of W&M
  • Aug. 2003- Dec 2003         Invertebrate Biology Lab- Teaching Assistant, College of W&M
  • Jan. 2004- May 2004          Biology 200 Lab- Teaching Assistant, College of W&M
Certifications
  • FAA UAS Remote Pilot Certification                April 2025            Newport News, VA
  • Red Cross 1st Aid/CPR Certification               July 2023 (exp.)   VIMS, VA
  • Open Water SCUBA certification                    June 1999            Fairbanks, AK
  • Advanced Open Water SCUBA certification   October 1999       Oahu, HI
Specialized Course-Work and Hobbies
  • Participated in the NSF funded iDigBio DigIn Marine Invertebrate Digitization Workshop in February 2019, at Florida State University. In this 2 day workshop, collection personnel from all major and most medium-sized IZ collections in the US shared information about their collections and curatorial and digitization workflows. Participants discussed best practices and considered ways to improve on existing methods to improve efficiency and speed of data mobilization. These includes discussing citizen-enabled data capture such as Notes from Nature, handling labels in fluid collections, imaging methods, assembling, sharing, and digitization of station data from major expeditions, etc. The major goal of the workshop is to initiate an outline for the NSF RFP- Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections –15-576.
  • Participated in the MarineGeo/ SERC Chesapeake Bay BioBlitz in July 2018 at the VIMS Eastern Shore Lab, Wachapreague, VA. The overall project collected ~385 species, 283 identified fully to species; 129 previously barcoded by SERC, the remainder new for local barcoding; 8 undescribed species currently recognized; and 71 of the identified species not in Marvin Wass’s checklist after accommodating for name changes. For VIMS, I collected ~200 species with 800-1,000 specimens and helped with the polychaete taxonomy and general invertebrate identifications.
  • Participated in Second Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomy, Metagenomics and Bioinformatics (BITMaB-2) Workshop in January 2018, at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, TX. The BITMaB-2 workshop was designed to train graduate students and researchers in the full spectrum involved in this new cutting edge methodology, including sample preparation, taxonomy of common benthic meiofauna and macrofauna taxa of the Gulf of Mexico, metagenomics, and bioinformatics. I was able to collect specimens in TX and bring them back to be added to our collection.
  • College Science Teaching Course – VIMS graduate class during Fall 2009.
  • Cladistics and Polychaetes III course as part of the 8th International Polychaete Conference in Madrid, Spain (July 2004).
  • Biological Microscopy – College of William & Mary graduate course on Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Microscopy during Fall 2003.  Developing and printing micrographs was a large component, along with tissue preparation.
  • Scuba Diving and Snorkeling - have been able to dive and snorkel in diverse locations such as Alaska, Hawaii, Tahiti, and Mexico.  Have 27 logged dives with about 16 hours underwater.
Sailing and Boating
  • I crewed on the Avalon II, a 1968 Islander 34 sailboat with an all-woman crew racing out of the York River Yacht Club on the York River, Virginia, from April 2005-2010.
  • Extensive experience working on commercial fishing vessels and during the winter of 1998-1999 in the Gulf of Alaska.
  • I crewed on the Beausoleil, a Beneteau 45 sailboat that raced out of Portland, Maine during the summer of 1998.