Building an inclusive wave in marine science: Sense of belonging and Society for Women in Marine Science symposia.

Achieving gender equity is a long-standing and ubiquitous challenge in marine science. Creating equitable experiences for all genders in marine science requires recognizing scientists' intersectional identities, and how this leads to unique lived experiences of privilege and marginalization. One approach to increase equitable experiences for women in marine science is to create affinity groups where women can learn from each other, share their experiences, and provide support and mentorship. The Society for Women in Marine Science (SWMS) is one such organization, founded to amplify the work of early career women in marine science and create community, through events such as full-day symposium events. This study investigates the experiences of symposium attendees for four events held from 2018 through 2020, as reported in pre- and post-symposium surveys. We used quantitative analysis of the open-ended survey questions to examine the demographics of attendees and their fields of study. Qualitative thematic analysis identified the most effective aspects of the symposia, areas of logistical and content improvement for future symposia, and emphasized the unique challenges women in marine science experience. The majority of symposium attendees were white graduate students. Nearly all attendees identified as women, with a small number of men and non-binary individuals. Symposia attendees enjoyed opportunities for professional development and interactions with colleagues across career stages. We present recommendations for continuing to foster a sense of belonging in marine science and STEM more broadly, both specific to SWMS and transferable actions that can be applied for other affinity groups. These suggestions include empathetic event logistics, continual democratic evaluation, identity reflexivity among group leaders, and professional development activities targeted towards the unique needs of the affinity group. The positive responses received from SWMS's adaptive integration of survey results into symposia demonstrate that incorporating these recommendations and findings will help create an inclusive wave in marine science.

Parasitism finds many solutions to the same problems in red algae (Florideophyceae, Rhodophyta).

Parasitic red algae evolve from a common ancestor with their hosts, parasitizing cousins using familiar cellular mechanisms. They have independently evolved over one hundred times within the exclusively multicellular red algal class Florideophyceae. Reduced morphology, a lack of pigmentation, and direct cell-cell connections with their hosts are markers of red algal parasitism. With so many potential evolutionary pathways, red algal parasite diversity offers a unique test case to understand the earliest stages of this lifestyle transition. Molecular and morphological investigations led to the categorization of these parasites based on their relationship to their host. "Adelphoparasites" are phylogenetically close to their hosts, often infecting a sister species, whereas "alloparasites" are more distantly related to their hosts. The differentiation of these parasites, based on their phylogenetic relationship to their host, has resulted in a simplified classification of these parasites that may not reflect the many evolutionary pathways they take to arrive at a similar endpoint. Accordingly, many parasites fall into a gray area between adelphoparasite and alloparasite definitions, challenging the established features we use to classify them. Molecular phylogenetic research has been essential in identifying gaps in knowledge, but microscopy needs to be reincorporated in order to address red algal parasite developmental variation to establish a new paradigm. The joint utilization of molecular and microscopic methods will be critical in identifying the genomic and physiological traits of both nascent and well-established parasites.

Mitochondrial and plastid genome analysis of the heteromorphic red alga Mastocarpus papillatus (C. Agardh) Kützing (Phyllophoraceae, Rhodophyta) reveals two characteristic florideophyte organellar genomes.

Analysis of the marine red algal species Mastocarpus papillatus (C. Agardh) Kützing using paired-end 36 bp Illumina sequences resulted in the assembly of its complete mitochondrial and plastid genomes. The mitogenome is 25,906 bp in length and contains 50 genes, and the plastid genome is 184,382 bp with 234 genes. The mitochondrial and plastid genomes show high gene synteny with published Florideophyceae.