Most of us know how frustrating it is when there are no courses
focused on marine mammals available at our university and often
wonder how and where we could attend one to learn more about these
animals that so interest us. This is indeed one of the most frequent
questions received in e-mails to the student representative. It’s
not possible to put together an exhaustive list of internships,
courses or seminars, indeed some are one-year only events!
Nevertheless, there are some rather important ones that are
organised on a (almost) yearly basis and have been attended by many
student members throughout the years. Some of these are listed below
with some practical information.
The idea with this page is not only to provide a list of courses
(and if you know of any other regular courses please e-mail me and
let me know!), but we’d also like to encourage feedback from
students who have participated in them. This is highly useful
information for students who are considering attending one course or
another. YOU NEED EACH OTHER!
Write to me and tell me about it! Your fellow students will be very
grateful!
List of Courses and Internships:
In Europe: There are a wide
variety of marine mammal courses that take place in several European
countries. These are organised by universities under the form of 1-2
week seminar sessions, or more formally with a degree at the end
(Master’s); and by several NGOs.
European Seminar on Marine Mammals: Biology and Conservation
Marine Bioacoustics Course (CIBRA)
Morigenos – Summer Dolphin research camps
Cetacean bio-sonar and communication: mechanisms and social
behaviour
Practical Courses in Ethology
Tethys whale & dolphin field courses
Ecocorps Research Programme
Distance sampling workshops
Master of Research (MRes) in Marine Mammal Science
Outside of Europe: Here are
a few (of the many) marine mammal programmes that are organised
outside of Europe and could be of interest to European students if
they have the chance to participate in them.
Distance education course in marine mammal management (MMM)
Independent research projects at Beam Reach Marine Science and
Sustainability School
SEACR Marine Research Internships
Please find additional information and links to institutions offering internships through the student webpage of EAAM (the European Association for Aquatic Mammals)
Courses in Europe
European Seminar on Marine Mammals: Biology and Conservation
Location: Valencia, Spain.
Date: Every 2 years, in September, lasts 4-5 days
Organisers: Dr. Juan Antonio Raga (U. Valencia) & Dr. Peter
Evans (U. Oxford); hosted by Universidad Internacional Menéndez
Pelayo
Structure: one week, talks on various domains (pathology,
conservation etc..) by scientists from throughout Europe); this year
includes a practical session
Language: English with simultaneous Spanish translation available
Funding: a limited number of grants are available for the course
Organisers: Prof Gianni Pavan (CIBRA) ; hosted by Università degli Studi di Pavia
Structure: one week, lectures on general acoustics, physics of
sound, underwater propagation, marine mammals anatomy and physiology,
tools and programs to collect and analyze data, underwater noise. Field
exercises in fresh water enviroment.
Language: English
Facilities: possibility to stay at the student house
Cetacean bio-sonar and communication: mechanisms and social
behaviour
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Date: Yearly, in September
Organised by Dr. Josep Maria Alonso, (Spanish Cetacean Society); and
the Mediterranean University Campus (Universidad Politécnica
de Catalunya, Institut Europea de la Mediterrànea i
Ajuntament de Vilanova i la Geltrú)
Collaborators: Coordinadora para o Estudio dos Mamíferos
Mariños (CEMMA), Sociedad Oceánica de Cetáceos
(La Isla de los Delfines) & Laboratorio de Aplicaciones
Bioacústicas (Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya)
Date: held every year, the courses and workshops last 6-9 days.
Several sessions are organised throughout the summer (June –
October)
Structure: highly practical (some include more advanced training
sessions of certain study techniques), working on a research boat.
Every year, since 1993, some 300 volunteers have had the chance to
join these "courses" and "workshops" to study
Mediterranean cetaceans living in the International Cetacean
Sanctuary (Italy and France), and in the eastern Ionian Sea
(Greece). In Italy participants are hosted on sailing boats while in
Greece the project is land-based (with daily surveys on inflatable
boats) and participants live in a comfortable Greek-style house. The
"courses" are run by experienced teams of biologists.
Volunteers are involved in all activities conducted in the field
during which time they are able to observe whales and dolphins in
their natural environment and participate in collecting data at sea.
Advanced "workshops" are another option. These are
training courses particularly well suited for biology and ecology
students and involve participation to all phases of research,
seminars on cetacean conservation and management, and practical
field activities (including photo-identification, behavioural
sampling and remote tracking).
Organisers: Tethys Research Institute, led by Giovanni Bearzi
(University of Venice, Italy) and Simone Panigada (Sea Mammal
Research Unit, University of St. Andrews, Scotland)
Date and Location: held every year in Banff, Scotland, between May
and October
Structure: “Each year we offer a number of opportunities for a
seasonal corps of volunteer interns to join us at the CRRU as
members of the research and rescue team. Placements are usually for
2 weeks at a time (although 1 week placements and longer placements
can be arranged on request) and, as an intern with the CRRU, you
will have the opportunity to learn about these animals and their
marine environment through first hand experience, working closely
alongside a dedicated and knowledgeable team of biologists. You will
learn and apply the principles of field research design as you
participate in our ongoing field studies, will undertake training as
a marine mammal medic, and will gain a personal understanding of the
conservation issues which drive our research and rescue activities.”
Master of Research (MRes) in Marine Mammal Science
Location: University of St. Andrews, Scotland
Date: starts each September for 12 months, application deadline in April!
Structure: This is a one-year postgraduate course intended
to prepare students for a professional career in marine mammal research
and conservation. The programme is tailored to address the scientific
challenges of marine mammal physiology, behaviour and population
biology with strong components of analytical methodology, laboratory
work, and field study. The course is being taught by members of the Sea
Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), with some modules jointly organised with
the School of Biology and CREEM (Centre for Research into Ecological
and Environmental Modelling).
Organisers: University of St Andrews; Dr Jason Matthiopoulos (Course Coordinator) & Dr Sonja Heinrich (Teaching Fellow)
Structure: This is a programme focused on an interdisciplinary
approach to marine conservation and consists in an intensive 5 weeks
of classes, field work and discussion groups uniting speakers from
different areas of expertise and students from all over the world.
The focus is on interdisciplinary problem solving - using natural
and social science theory to resolve real-world environmental
problems. The core course is Conservation Biology and Policy (2 days
a week) which is completed by one of several elective courses the
students can choose from, including one on Marine Mammals (3 days a
week) which is taught by Dr. Andy Read has both solid classroom and
field components.
Organisers: Duke University Marine Lab; Programme Directors (and
instructors of Con. Bio.) are Drs. Larry Crowder and Michael Orbach;
Marine Mammal course by Dr. Andy Read.
Funding: a limited number of international students can be fully
funded to attend this programme under their Global Fellowships in
Marine Conservation
Independent research projects at Beam Reach Marine Science and
Sustainability School
Location: Seattle, Washington State, USA
Date: yearly, 10 weeks, spring and fall
Structure: Candidates design a research project at the Friday Harbor
Labs and implement it at sea, learning from instructors and guest
experts about the marine environment, endangered killer whales,
practicing science sustainably, and living sustainably.
Undergraduate as well as recent graduates and
post-baccalaureates will have the opportunity to pursue their
interests in sustainability, the marine environment, and killer
whales through the entire scientific process, from initial proposal
to final presentation
SEACR Marine Research Internships, (The Society for Ecological
and Coastal Research)
Location: Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
Date: see their website
Structure: MRIP is a volunteer program where Research Interns assist
experienced
and dedicated marine biologists and ecologists with their field
research.
Through MRIP, Research Interns will live and work at a remote
research field-station in the coastal rainforest of Clayoquot Sound,
British Columbia, to aid researchers with ongoing field research
related to coastal and marine ecology.
Organisor: Whale Research Lab of the University of Victoria,
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada