Dr. Jill Tupitza
Dr. Jill Tupitza is a benthic ecologist with expertise in bioassessment and community response to change. She specializes in using benthic macroinvertebrates to infer local ecological health, community dynamics, and food web interactions. Her research is focused on harmonizing molecular (DNA- and trait-based) and morpho-taxonomic approaches in biological indices as well as bolstering eDNA methods and tools for future monitoring. She has worked in a range of marine and estuarine habitats assessing benthic ecological health in response to restoration activities and flow extremes.
She received a Ph.D. in oceanography and coastal sciences from Louisiana State University in 2024 and a B.S. in environmental sciences from the University of Virginia in 2016. She joined SCCWRP in 2024.
Education
Ph.D., oceanography and coastal sciences, Louisiana State University, 2024
B.S., environmental sciences, University of Virginia, 2016
Professional Experience
Scientist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Costa Mesa, CA. 2024-present
Publications
Journal Articles
Tupitza, J.C., Glaspie, C.N., Roche, A., Landry, R. In review. Benthic communities restructure quickly under shifting salinity: a reciprocal transplant experiment.
Zhang, W., Xu, K., Herke, C., Alawneh, O., Jafari, N., Maiti, K., Clower, P.O., Glaspie, C.N., Tupitza, J.C. and Xue, Z.G. 2023. Spatial and temporal variations of seabed sediment characteristics in the inner Louisiana shelf. Marine Geology, 463, p.107115.
Tupitza, J. C., & Glaspie, C. N. 2020. Restored freshwater flow and estuarine benthic communities in the northern Gulf of Mexico: research trends and future needs. PeerJ, 8, e8587. Oostindie, S., van der Horst, H.J., Lindorfer, M.A., Cook, E.M., Tupitza, J.C., Zent, C.S., Burack, R., VanDerMeid, K.R., Strumane, K., Chamueau, M.E.D., Mutis, T., de Jong, R.N., Schuurman, J., Breij, E.C.W., Beurskens, F.J., Parren, P.W.H.I., Taylor, R.P. (2019). CD20 and CD37 synergize to activate complement by Fc-mediated clustering. Haematologica 104:xxx. DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2018.207266
Lindorfer, M. A., Cook, E. M., Tupitza, J. C., Zent, C. S., Burack, R., de Jong, R. N., ... & Taylor, R. P. 2016. Real- time analysis of the detailed sequence of cellular events in mAb-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity of B-cell lines and of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells. Molecular Immunology, 70, 13-23.