Job summary and/or description of your work/research:
I am a postdoctoral scholar with the Marine Science Institute at UCSB and NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. A postdoc is a temporary, mentored research position for after a Ph.D. program where I can gain more experience, refine my skills, and build my network for a future permanent position. Mainly, I analyze fish and shark movements in and around US Marine Sanctuary borders, prepare papers for publication, and help tag fishes and sharks to study their movement patterns and habitat use.
What do you enjoy most about your work/research:
Instead of focusing on one single project, I get to work on several different datasets spanning multiple species and regions around the world including the west coast, the east coast, and the Pacific Islands. I also get many opportunities to network and collaborate with researchers across disciplines which help broaden my own knowledge and understanding of animal movement and habitat use. My favorite days are spent on boats in the field catching and tagging animals in beautiful places like the Channel Islands. Seeing sharks and rays right here in our backyard is a rewarding reminder that my work matters to ensure future generations get to see cool species in incredible places.
Inspiration:
I get a lot of my inspiration from Eugenie Clark, one of the first female scientists who studied shark behavior. She proved wrong many myths and misconceptions about sharks, helping increase their popularity in the public, and promoting better conservation and management of sharks. I am also inspired by staff working across US National Marine Sanctuaries who work so hard to preserve such special underwater places.