Lieutenant Stephanie Jocis, a native of Palos Verdes, CA, graduated as the Distinguished Graduate and earned a B.S. (with high honors) in Marine and Environmental Science from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in 2014. While at USCGA, she completed a summer internship at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University, where she conducted oil spill research and studied the spectral fluorescence characteristics of commercially available hydrocarbon sensors. Her first assignment after graduation was as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC CYPRESS (WLB-210) in Pensacola, Florida from 2014-2016. During this time, CYPRESS maintained 120 Aids to Navigation (ATON) throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, as well as, serviced all ten National Data Buoy Center NOAA buoys in the Gulf of Mexico to greatly increase insight into weather patterns and prediction reliability. LT Jocis then transferred to USCGC WALNUT (WLB-205) in Honolulu, Hawaii, from 2016-2018, where she served as the Operations Officer, Navigator, and Law Enforcement (LE) Officer conducting ATON, LE, and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. Following WALNUT, LT Jocis attended the University of California San Diego (UCSD) earning an M.S. in Chemistry in 2020. LT Jocis’ research at UCSD focused on organic synthesis, specifically functionalizing nucleic acid nanostructures by targeting abasic sites in DNA modules with amiloride derivatives. She now works as a chemistry instructor at the USCG Academy.

Education

• M.S., University of California San Diego, Chemistry, 2020
• B.S., Marine and Environmental Science, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, High Honors, 2014

Courses Taught

• Chemistry I & II Lecture and Laboratory

Selected Publications and Presentations

• Jocis, S. Spectral Fluorescence Characteristics of Commercially Available Hydrocarbon Sensors. NCUR Proceedings, 231-241 (2014)
• Jocis, S. 2014 Distinguished Graduate Speech. The Bulletin (2014)
• Jocis, S. Understanding Nitromethane. Coast Guard Journal of Safety & Security at Sea Proceedings (2014)
• Jocis, S. Understanding Chloroform. Coast Guard Journal of Safety & Security at Sea Proceedings (2014)
• Jocis, S. Thesis: Functionalizing Nucleic Acid Nanostructures by Targeting Abasic Sites in DNA Modules with Amiloride Derivatives. (2020)

Honors

• CG Achievement Medal (x2)
• CG Unit Commendation Ribbon
• CG Meritorious Team Commendation Ribbon (x3)
• CG Sea Service Ribbon (x2)
• CG Pistol Sharpshooter Ribbon
• National Defense Service Medal
• Distinguished Graduate Award, USCGA, 2014
• Pfizer, Inc. Award, 2014
• George C. Alexander and Robert T. Alexander Award in Chemistry, 2014
• Alexander Excellence in Organic Chemistry Award, 2014
• Rear Admiral E. H. Smith Award, 2014
• USCG Auxiliary Award, 2014
• Awarded “Best Poster” at the Inter-Service Academy Chemistry Symposium

Professional Memberships

• American Chemical Society (ACS)