When I graduated from college in 2002 in my home state of Missouri I had no marine mammal experience. However, I always knew that cetacean research was my path because I was drawn to the ocean and fascinated by dolphin behavior, so my first step was gaining experience through internships. The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program internship interested me early on, but for a variety of reasons I did my first couple of internships elsewhere (Texas A&M University at Galveston studying bottlenose dolphins and the Whale Center of New England studying humpbacks and other large whales). I finally made it to Mote Marine Laboratory in January 2004 as an intern with the Offshore Cetacean Ecology Program and then I moved from there over to SDRP. In the late summer of 2004 I left for previously scheduled research experiences in South Carolina and Georgia with a government bottlenose dolphin biopsy project and in Hawaii with Dr. Robin Baird tagging beaked whales and surveying other cetacean species, but in January 2005 I called Kim Bassos-Hull and asked about returning.

In the spring of 2005 as a lab intern (or “re-tern” as they liked to call me) I spent most of my time helping with photo-identification of both Sarasota and Charlotte Harbor dolphins. I was also able to take advantage of many other opportunities that arose both in the lab and the field. In the lab I got involved in data manipulation and analysis using techniques such as mark-recapture and making charts displaying discovery curves. In addition I learned to use ArcGIS to calculate the number of dolphins seen per kilometer of survey effort. In the field I worked with graduate students including Spencer Fire looking at the impact of Red Tide on the dolphins, Katie McHugh studying juvenile behavior, and Christine Shepard studying the impact of boats on the dolphins. I also participated in synoptic surveys, Earthwatch surveys, and the capture-release health assessment project. In addition I got involved in other programs at Mote Marine Laboratory, volunteering with the Dolphin and Whale Hospital, and further helping the Stranding Investigations Program recover both living and dead cetaceans.

All of these varied experiences have broadened my view of the marine mammal research field and opened new doors for me. I have been hired as a Biological Technician in the SDRP lab. I look forward to continuing down this path as it opens up additional opportunities.