Thanks for checking out my blog! Its been an awesome experience so far, and I can't wait to overload it with all kinds of stuff. I'm an undergraduate at Cal State University Northridge majoring in Marine Biology with a minor in English literature. My research interests have been boiled down to algae, genetics, and evolutionary biology. This is my first blog, so every part of it has been an adventure toward new discoveries with each post. I love the multifaceted lifestyle of learning from different backgrounds every single day. As a biologist and Muslim American, I consider diversity and heterogeneity to be heavy components of the foundation of life. My current research at CSUN is in the lab of Steve Dudgeon where I conduct genetic analyses of the red algae genus Mastocarpus among sexual and asexual lineages. I hope to continue similar research as a Master's student in 2016. I am also in the process of training to become a SCUBA instructor. Research can only generate so much income.

 

My hobbies: Volleyball, musical theater, woodworking, (very amateur) comic strip drawing, LATimes crossword puzzles, running, SCUBA diving, camping.

 

God speed,

 

Malek Al-Marayati

malmarayati@yahoo.com