Dr. Cassondra Williams

Cassondra Williams received her PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography for research on the diving physiology of emperor penguins in Antarctica. Here's a short video about Cassondra and her work in Antarctica...

The research focus for Cassondra Williams is the diving physiology of emperor penguins and northern elephant seals. As part of her research, she's developed a new approach to measuring muscle oxygen depletion in diving emperor penguins. Cassondra traveled to Antarctica during the Austral Spring season to study the diving physiology and diving behavior of emperor penguins as they dive beneath the sea ice covering the Ross Sea.

You can read more about the emperor penguin work of Cassondra and her team in Antarctica on the fantastic blog from Penguin Ranch!

Cassondra's career path is an interesting one in that she previously worked as a lawyer practicing law in the Los Angeles, California area prior to beginning her studies and work as a researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography focusing on the diving physiology of emperor penguins and elephant seals.

In Antarctica, Cassondra also traveled with her research team headed by Scripps scientist Paul Ponganis to conduct an annual census at a number emperor penguin colonies in the Ross Sea area. Here is a short video about the team's 2008 census of the emperor penguin colony at Cape Crozier in Antarctica...