Usha Jha
- Plankton Analyst
Since joining the CPR Survey in 2009, Usha has developed her taxonomic expertise identifying phyto- and zooplankton from all areas of the Survey including the North Atlantic, South Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. She has also analysed net caught zooplankton samples across the Irish Sea.
Additionally she is a member of the cutting team preparing CPR samples for analysis, she organises monthly team meetings and maintains the zooplankton reference collection. She is also part of the silk preparation team.
Usha has a keen eye for identifying unusual taxonomic species and was the first to recognise the alien copepod species of Pseudodiaptomus marinus in North Sea CPR samples, (see Extension of distribution of Pseudodiaptomus marinus, an introduced copepod, in the North Sea, U. Jha, A. Jetter, J.A. Lindley, L. Postel and M. Wootton, Marine Biodiversity Records, 2013, Vol. 6; e53)
Usha holds a degree in Zoology honours from L. N. Mithila University, Bihar, India.
In her spare time, Usha enjoys yoga and spending time with her family.