Summer Marine Biology Courses at University of Hawaii at Hilo

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Summer Session 2017

I am pleased announce that I will be offering the following three classes this summer at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.  The labs for each class involve research-based, hands-on techniques as the students participate in research studies focused upon each group of marine animals.

MARE 250 – Statistical Applications in Marine Science

MARE 380 – Natural History of Sharks and Rays/Lab

MARE 490 – Sea Turtle Conservation & Ecology/Lab

Dates:      June 19 – July 28, 2017

MARE 250 Statistical Apps in Marine Science, 3 credits – Dr. Jason Turner

Hands-on approach to designing field experiments, collection of ecological data, analysis of data on computers using statistical methods, and presentation of results. Requires completion of a project using data collected in the field followed by the preparation of both written and oral reports. Pre: MARE/BIOL 171 or MARE 201, or instructor’s consent.

MARE 380, Natural History of Sharks and Rays, 3 credits – Dr. Jason Turner

This course will examine the natural history of the Elasmobranchs, an ancient group of fishes that have existed for almost 450 million years. Comprehensive investigations of sharks, rays, skates, sawfishes, and chimera along with representative species from Hawai`i will be conducted. Subjects will include evolution, taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, ecology, conservation and management of these unique animals. Discussions of current research papers along with group research projects will be covered during lectures. Pre: Concurrent enrollment in MARE 380L required.

MARE 380L, Natural History of Sharks, Rays, and Skates Lab, 1 credit – Dr. Jason Turner

This course will further examine Elasmobranchs using a hands-on approach to compliment the work done in lecture using both laboratory and field-based activities. Laboratory sessions will involve detailed dissections of shark, ray, skate, and chimera functional anatomy. Students will also participate in a tagging study of coastal shark species throughout the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Pre: Concurrent enrollment in MARE 380 required. $250 lab fee payable upon registration.

MARE 490, Sea Turtle Conservation & Ecology, 3 credits – Dr. Jason Turner

All-encompassing look at the natural history of these ancient marine vertebrates with special focus on sea turtle of Hawaii. Topics include investigations of sea turtles, sea snakes, saltwater crocodiles and marine iguanas throughout the world. Subjects will consist of conservation and management, human impacts, reproductive and feeding ecology, evolution, taxonomy, and anatomy and physiology of these unique marine animals. Pre: prior college-level marine biology course recommended, or equivalent or instructor’s consent. Pre: Concurrent enrollment in MARE 490L.

MARE 490L, Sea Turtle Conservation & Ecology Laboratory, 1 credit – Dr. Jason Turner

Field and lab techniques employed by sea turtle biologists including shore and underwater photo-surveys, forage surveys, and evaluation of nests and hatchlings. Investigations will focus on local species of sea turtles of Hawaii including green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata). Pre: Concurrent enrollment in MARE 490. $250 lab fee payable upon registration.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for the 2017 Summer Session are:

Undergraduate Resident              $300 per credit

Undergraduate Non-resident    $435 per credit

Undergraduate WUE*                   $367.50 per credit

Graduate Resident                          $479 per credit

Graduate Non-resident                    $631 per credit

Student Life Center fee:                   $ 35

Lab and Other Fees                         Varies

*Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) and for Pacific Island students

 Registration is now Open! Visit the link below for more information and to register

 http://hilo.hawaii.edu/depts/summer/

 Please email me directly if you have any questions at:
jpturner@hawaii.edu

For additional information about the University of Hawaii at Hilo Summer Program:
http://hilo.hawaii.edu/depts/summer/UHHilosMarineScienceSummerProgram.php

UW Aquatic & Fishery Sciences & Oceanography both ranked in the top 5 programs in their field globally

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A new ranking of global university programs by academic subject highlights the quality of our marine and aquatic science programs. In the lists for their respective subjects, The UW School of Oceanography was ranked 2nd globally, and the UW School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences was ranked 4th. Read on for more details about the ranking and to learn about the other 43 subjects ranked in the top 10 globally.

The University of Washington landed at No. 9 with 45 subjects ranked in the top 10 in the Center for World University Rankings’ inaugural subjects ranking. The ranking features the top global universities in 227 subjects covering all academic disciplines in the sciences and social sciences. This is the highest the UW has placed in a global subject ranking.

Social work at the UW was ranked as the best such program in the world, while the UW’s oceanography and audiology & speech language pathology programs each ranked second. In all, 22 UW subjects were rated among the top five in the world.

The CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017 highlights the world’s elite universities in the sciences and the social sciences, based on the number of research articles in top-tier journals. Data is obtained from Clarivate Analytics (previously the Intellectual Property and Science business of Thomson Reuters). More information about the methodology is available here.

The new CWUR global subjects ranking joins several others in which the UW is highly regarded. Most recently, the UW had 52 subjects ranked in the top 10 on the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools ranking.

[read more at UW Today]

from Balta, V. (2017, April 3). UW lands at No. 9 with 45 subjects ranked in the top 10 in Center for World University Rankings inaugural subject list. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/news

 

Congratulations to 3 MB minors in the Husky 100

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Congratulations to three Marine Biology Minors who were recognized as part of the 2017 Husky 100: Jono Grindall, Griffin Hoins, and Sneha Krishnan! Launched in 2016, this annual award recognizes UW students across all three campuses who, “actively connect what happens inside and outside of the classroom and apply what they learn to make a difference on campus, in their communities and for the future.” Learn more about the Husky 100 and explore all the awardees on the Husky 100 website. Also, see the video below for a great summary of the award.

[job]: Trawl Catch Shares (West Coast) Observer Program (start 5/18/17, WA, OR, CA coast)

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Currently we are in immediate need for observers to begin work in the Trawl Catch Shares (West Coast) Observer Program.  These positions would begin 5/8/17 and are based on the Washington, Oregon, and California coast. If you know recent graduates still looking for field biology positions, please forward this e-mail to them and encourage them to visit www.alaskanobservers.com.  They can also e-mail me at r-moore@alaskanobservers.com or call me at 888-317-9343 to get more information.

Additionally, we will continue to hire and deploy observers in the North Pacific (Alaska) during July and August of 2017.

Thanks for your help, and please feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.

Sincerely,

 

Rachel Moore
Recruiting Coordinator
Alaskan Observers, Inc.

r-moore@alaskanobservers.com
www.alaskanobservers.com
1-888-317-9343

Sustaining Food from the Seas: Public Lecture on April 11

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Professor Ray Hilborn, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences

Sustaining Food from the Seas

with Professor Ray Hilborn, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2017 | 7-8 P.M.

KANE HALL, ROOM 130
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

NO RSVP REQUIRED
RECEPTION TO FOLLOW

About Ray Hilborn

Ray Hilborn has been a professor in the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences for 30 years. Over his career, he has studied the global status of marine fisheries, the impact of bottom trawling on the sea floor, and the impact of harvesting “forage fish” on their predators. Professor Hilborn also coordinates teams of faculty and student researchers studying salmon at UW research posts in Bristol Bay, Alaska.

He has co-authored more than 300 scientific papers as well as several books, including “Overfishing: What Everyone Needs to Know,” “Quantitative Fisheries Stock Assessment” and “The Ecological Detective: Confronting Models with Data.”

Professor Hilborn has received the Volvo Environment Prize, the International Fisheries Science Prize, the Ecological Society of America’s Sustainability Science Award, and the American Fisheries Society’s Award of Excellence. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and a member of both the Washington State Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

About this lecture

The world’s oceans provide an important source of nutrition for more than one billion people, and employment for hundreds of millions. But is this sustainable? And if so, where? And how?

Over the last decade, a series of international collaborations have evaluated the impact of fishing around the world, and the results are contrary to popular perception: The abundance of fish in the oceans appears to be stable overall — not decreasing — and fish numbers are increasing in countries that are willing to reduce fishing pressure when necessary. This talk will explore why some fisheries are prospering and some are not, and will examine the environmental impact of harvesting food from the seas compared to other food sources.

About the University Faculty Lecture

Since 1976, the University Faculty Lecture has honored faculty whose research, scholarship or art have left a lasting mark on their profession and beyond. In conjunction with the Office of the Provost, UW faculty members choose one of their peers to deliver this annual lecture. Professor Ray Hilborn joins a roster of Nobel laureates, historians, artists, scientists and authors who have given this lecture over its long history.

Study Abroad in the Azores Islands (Summer 2017)

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Summer Field Course: Natural History of the Azores Islands (Portugal)

12 June – 1 July 2017 *application deadline 30 March*

Summary:

A 3 week, 3-credit course for students of all disciplines who are interested in environmental studies and island ecology. The course will include a substantial field component and introduce the geology, biology, and oceanography of this unique biogeographic zone consisting of volcanic islands and the surrounding marine environment. Designed for students of any major, with no prerequisites, small group projects will allow students with different levels of scientific preparation to work on simpler or more complex projects to challenge themselves. Taught in English at the main campus of University of the Azores in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel, it is designed to complement the concurrent course Azorean History, Literature and Culture. Portuguese language training is also available at beginner and intermediate levels.

The Azores are lush, volcanic islands located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in open ocean waters between Portugal and the United States and provide an astonishing variety of interesting environments in a small region, including exposed and protected rocky and sandy beaches, shallow and deep waters, hydrothermal features, coastal plains and steep volcanic slopes with dense forests. The islands have been called the “Galapagos of the Atlantic”, harbor a number of endemic species, and are a good model system for teaching concepts of adaptation, biogeography, and biodiversity, as well as geology and plate tectonics. Lead instructor Dr. Erik Zettler has done research and taught field courses in oceanography, biology, and geology for over 20 years and this program will also incorporate local experts from the faculty at University of the Azores. In addition to lectures and discussions, the program will incorporate numerous field trips to a variety of local habitats from seashore to the mountains, including at least one boat trip, and follow up with laboratory sessions to catalog and describe what we see and collect in the field.

Natural History of the Azores Islands is a 6 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System; 3 US credits equivalent) course accredited by Univ. of the Azores as part of SiPN (the “Study in Portugal Network”). It can be taken alone or ideally integrated with one of two other concurrently offered courses:

“Azorean Literature, History and Culture” (also in English) “Portuguese Language” (beginner and intermediate levels available)

Costs (includes tuition, lodging, and fees):

$2500 for 1 course (3 credits)

$3250 for 2 courses (6 credits)

For additional information including full syllabus and registration instructions: http://www.studyinportugalnetwork.com/build-your-course/

Select “Build your summer”, then scroll down to the Azores courses

For questions or to learn more you may also contact instructor Dr. Erik Zettler (erik.zettler@nioz.nl)

*Limited scholarships are available; apply directly to instructor erik.zettler@nioz.nl*

Recreational Fisheries (FISH 260) Guest Lectures for Spring Quarter

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You don’t need to be enrolled in the FISH 260/261: Recreational Fisheries course to attend one of the many guest lectures hosted this spring quarter. Please see the attached flyer for the schedule of guests representing perspectives on a range of topics impacting recreational fisheries in the Pacific NW. FISH 260/261 is offered annually in spring quarter and is taught by Professor Christian Grue.

FSH 260 speakers poster 2017 elect (pdf)

Apply for a 2017-18 SAFS Undergrad Recruiting Scholarship! Deadline: April 9

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2017-18 SAFS Undergraduate Recruiting Scholarship
Application deadline: April 9, 2017

The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) is pleased to announce the availability of the SAFS Undergraduate Recruiting Scholarship for the 2017-18 Academic Year.

The SAFS Undergraduate Recruiting Scholarship is awarded to incoming UW undergraduates who exhibit exceptional academic achievement demonstrated by overall GPA and other measurable academic merit. Financial need may also be considered – need will be determined by the UW Office of Student Financial Aid and requires submission of the 2017 FAFSA.

Eligibility
Applicants should be incoming undergraduate freshmen or transfer students in good academic standing who intend to pursue a major in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and who will be enrolled at least one quarter during the 2017-18 academic year. Students who have already begun attending the UW may apply for scholarships via the current student application.

Scholarships may be awarded to more than one applicant – award amounts vary.

Questions about the application or eligibility may be directed to the SAFS Undergraduate Adviser, 206-543-7457.

Decisions
Award notifications will be made in late April. Awardees will be expected to write a note of appreciation to the donor(s) who contributed to the scholarship endowment.

Application Instructions
Submit the following by the deadline:

  • Online application form.
    You will need a UW Net ID to access the application – if you do not have a UW Net ID, contact the Undergraduate Adviser for an alternative application form.
  • Copy of unofficial transcripts from other post-secondary institutions you have attended
    Optional, but highly recommended for transfer students or freshmen with Running Start credits

    • Contact the institution(s) for a copy of your unofficial transcript(s), download/scan and save a pdf copy with 2016-17_SAFSScholar​ship_LastNameFirstName_SchoolNameTranscr​ipt and upload to the CollectIt Dropbox.

Deadline: Sunday, April 9, 2017 – online scholarship form will automatically close at 11:59pm on April 9.

[Tide Bites] Red rock crabs: the Dungeness’ grouchy cousins

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This article comes from “Tide Bites”, the monthly newsletter of UW Friday Harbor Laboratories. “Red rock crabs: the Dungeness’ grouchy cousins” by Sylvia Yamada and Scott Groth: read the full article at the FHL website.

S. Yamada
Adult crabs that were trapped under the FHL docks for the mark-recapture study.

Native red rock crabs (Cancer productus) are important predators on protected rocky nearshore communities from Alaska to Baja California. While they are harvested recreationally, they have not been as well studied as their commercially-valuable cousin, the Dungeness crab. Red rock crabs are abundant on semi-protected rock and boulder beaches where the substrate is composed of sand and shell gravel and where the salinity remains high. They have voracious appetites, feeding on a wide variety of species including barnacles, mussels, clams, oysters, snails, worms and sea cucumbers. Adults are highly mobile and are known to move into the high intertidal during flood tides to forage. We decided to piece together the life cycle of the red rock crab by compiling what was learned through various studies carried out on different life stages at Friday Harbor Laboratories.

[read the full article]