I came to the SDRP during the 2008 winter of my junior year in college with the goal of getting more field experience. I had spent a little time on boats and a little time observing the great whales of the Gulf of Maine. I felt Mote Marine Lab would be a wonderful opportunity to get some more field experience, or at least give me a chance to dip my feet in the research world.

Laura Howes

        I ended up spending my winter months not only working on a boat, but also getting to help with a graduate student’s PhD research on juvenile dolphins. I spent about three days a week on the 22-foot motorboat, Nai’a, helping locate and keep track of focal individuals and frantically writing down data. Sometimes I got lucky enough to get my hands on the camera and try to get some photo-ID shots. I even got a bit of time at the helm learning to steer during sightings. I was amazed at first at how quickly my supervisor could identify individuals by a glance at their dorsal fin 50 meters away. I had thought that it would take years of seeing these dolphins everyday to be able to know them so well, but it was one of my proudest moments after the end of my three months when I could actually ID some dolphins on my own (and not just “Riptorn”). I learned not only about dolphin behavior and group dynamics, but I also learned about the study of animal behavior as a whole. I found it fascinating how so much information could be learned about each individual dolphin.
       In the lab, I got to see what happens to all the recorded field data and notes as they get processed. I was quite impressed with the organization of the lab, which taught me a lot about what an efficient data management process should be like. Working with data and photo-ID matching also allowed me to experience the tediousness and self-discipline needed to make it in the research field.
       While I gained a lot of field and lab experience, I also learned a lot about my work ethic, which has made me feel more confident in my future potential in the work place. Working on a boat, any boat, builds character and work ethic. Data collection went more smoothly when there was overall good communication and equal effort. Learning the routine and then doing it before asked was the key to getting things done. With this in mind, I tried my best to always make sure every task got taken care of properly. In the long run, I think working on Nai’a allowed me to discover my true work ethic and become a more active rather than passive participant, which has helped me greatly in my recent research and academic endeavors. With great thanks for what I learned while at SDRP, I was able to get a summer internship with the Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo, helping expand and design current animal behavior research projects. All in all, I would say I learned a bit more than fins during my time in Sarasota.