Will Jaeckle and Elizabeth (Susie) Balser
Dr. Balser is an invertebrate zoologist with training in the morphology, physiology, and evolution of invertebrate animals. Her research pursuits include comparative examination of the structure and development of sea stars and other echinoderms. She has used these data to examine the evolutionary relationship among echinoderms and their relatives. Dr. Jaeckle's research projects are focussed on aspects of the life history, development, and ecology of invertebrate animals, with particular emphasis on the free-living larval stages. At present, he has projects involving the study of (1) the process of asexual reproduction by larvae of starfish, (2) the patterns and processes of nutrient distribution in "avascular" animals, and (3) the evolution of egg size and composition.