Current Research Blogs
Dawson's Blog
Dawson Little, graduate student
1 February 2026
Hi y'all,
January was a month of adjustment and follow through as the project continued moving fully into a lab and writing focused phase. While some timelines and expectations shifted this month, those changes ultimately brought more clarity and direction, even if the process itself felt challenging at times. Stepping back from constant field work and into a phase centered on lab coordination, data preparation, and writing required a bit of mental recalibration, but it also made the overall shape of the project feel more concrete.
One of the biggest milestones this month was finally finishing the processing of all my samples. After such a long stretch of field work, planning, sorting, and preparation, wrapping up sample processing felt like a real turning point. It marked the end of one of the most labor intensive phases of the project and cleared the way for everything that follows. With that work complete, I’ve been able to lean more fully into the molecular side of the project and focus on moving the remaining lab work forward with fewer competing demands.
On the molecular side, I spent much of January coordinating workflows between the MMEL lab on campus and our molecular workspace on the reservation. This included confirming sequencing logistics, double checking material needs, and aligning realistic timelines for the remaining analyses with collaborators. Much of this work happened behind the scenes, but it was essential for keeping everything moving smoothly and making sure the next steps are well supported. Having these pieces come together has helped reduce uncertainty and made the path forward feel much more tangible.
January was also a productive writing month. In addition to ongoing lab coordination, I spent more consistent time sitting down with the writing itself, which felt like a shift from planning and outlining into actually building the thesis chapter by chapter. I continued drafting and revising sections of my thesis, particularly the background and methods, with the goal of clearly framing the ecological role of river otters in estuarine systems and their interactions with invasive European green crab. Revisiting earlier sections with a clearer sense of where the project is headed has been especially helpful, and seeing the written pieces take shape alongside the lab work has been both grounding and motivating.
This month also brought some welcome clarity around the overall timeline for the project. We confirmed that I’ll likely be graduating in the summer, and having a more defined plan in place has made the remaining work feel more manageable and focused. Overall, January felt demanding but important. While winter weather continued to limit field work, the month was an essential step in finishing long running tasks, adjusting expectations, and laying the groundwork for a more focused push into analysis and writing over the coming months.
Best,
Dawson
Anna's Blog
Anna Gilboard, undergraduate student
1 February 2026
Hi all! January has been all about transitioning into the next phase of my capstone project. After spending a lot of time cleaning and exploring data last quarter, this month I’ve been focusing on starting to connect patterns in the harbor seal pup stranding data to possible drivers behind them.
I’ve been digging more deeply into both temporal and spatial trends in the dataset, especially looking at when and where strandings tend to occur most often. Certain beaches continue to stand out as repeat locations, which has pushed me to start asking more targeted questions about what might be happening at those sites. This has also meant spending more time reading and working through academic papers to better understand how human activity, habitat features, and seal behavior could be influencing stranding patterns.
I’ve started exploring spatial analysis and mapping, including preparing my data for use in ARCGIS, which feels like a big step forward. It’s been challenging at times, but it’s exciting to see the project moving beyond spreadsheets and into more visual ways of understanding the data.
Outside of my own research, I’ve been continuing to train people in photo cropping and photo ID. I did my first photo ID training this month, which was very exciting! I have also been able to snowboard every weekend up at Mt. Baker and while the snow hasn’t been the best I feel very lucky to get outside and be in the mountains.
Until next time,
Anna
Zoe's Blog
Zoe Hosford, graduate student
1 February 2026
January has felt like one of those months where everything is moving at once. Teaching, writing, analysis, and a lot of behind-the-scenes progress that does not always show up neatly on a checklist. Coming back from the holidays, it took a little time to reestablish routines, but once the quarter settled in, things started to feel more grounded.
Most of my time this month has been focused on thesis work. I have been deep in the modeling and interpretation side of the project, working through hierarchical analyses of long-term harbor seal haul out data and continuing to think carefully about how predator presence fits into those patterns. A large part of January was spent refining methods, cleaning up figures, and translating model output into something that clearly communicates the ecological story. While that process can be slow, it has also been really rewarding. It feels like the project is moving out of the early exploration phase and into something more cohesive.
Teaching has also been a major focus this month. BIO 101 labs are fully underway, and I have been enjoying getting to know students and helping them settle into the rhythm of the course. Early in the quarter often comes with a lot of questions and logistical challenges, but it has been encouraging to see students gain confidence as they engage more deeply with the material. Balancing teaching with research continues to be demanding, but it is also one of the most fulfilling parts of graduate school.
Alongside the day-to-day work of teaching and research, this month has also included a lot of reflection about what comes next. As I move closer to finishing my degree, I have been spending more time thinking about post-graduation plans and what I want the next stage of my academic path to look like. That has meant weighing options, having conversations with mentors, and starting to imagine what life and research might look like beyond this program. While that uncertainty can feel daunting at times, it has also been motivating to step back and think more intentionally about long term goals.
Overall, January felt like a month of steady progress. While there were not many obvious milestones, a lot of important groundwork was laid that will support the rest of the quarter. Spending time refining analyses, revisiting decisions, and slowing down enough to think critically about the structure of the project has been valuable, even when that work felt less visible day to day.
As the quarter continues, I am looking forward to building on this foundation. The coming weeks will focus on tightening interpretations, finalizing figures, and continuing to connect individual analyses back to the broader ecological questions that motivated the project in the first place. January helped clarify priorities and set a direction, and I am heading into February feeling focused, motivated, and excited to keep moving the work forward as graduation approaches.
Ellie's Blog
Ellie Taylor, undergraduate student
1 February 2026
Hi all,
Winter quarter is officially underway, and it's been great to get back into the rhythm of everything after the holiday break. Classes this quarter are keeping me busy, but I've still been able to get into the lab quite a bit! January has mostly been about laying the groundwork and optimizing the qPCR protocol for sex ID from the otter scat samples.
A big part of this month has been focused on all the little details that go into running hundreds of qPCR reactions. We've been experimenting with full reactions vs half reactions and been running trials to understand which DNA concentrations don't detect. The goal is to find the sweet spot that gives reliable, accurate results while using as little reagent as possible.
I've also been working in the lab with Vic this month to help her finish extracting the last of her eDNA samples from Whatcom Creek. Getting hands-on experience with eDNA samples is really exciting, since this technology is a newer tool in environmental research. It's also great getting to work next to Vic and pick up some of her bench skills.
I'm excited to see everything coming together and to get into large-scale analysis. February will likely be another month full of lab work, but might be able to produce more quantitative results!
Cheers,
Ellie
Mallory's Blog
Mallory Stonier, undergraduate student
1 February 2026
Hello everyone,
Winter quarter has started off busier than ever. Into the new year, I have been continuing with Whatcom Creek observations, helping with Victoria’s project, and hammering away with Camryn at Smolt project tasks. With the Spring approaching, we are focusing on data analysis and a project outline for us to present our research soon. We are prepping for another season of smolt observations, so to work ahead for the hectic Spring we are sure to be having, we are prepping data sheets and topics to cover in training.
Otherwise, my courses have been keeping me busy, and I am especially enjoying how much time I have spent in labs. I have also enjoyed the learning process of R analysis, which has been a fun challenge in addition to classes. We are hoping to investigate the differences between dawn and dusk behavior and are considering tidal heights to compare with surfacing event quantity. Harbor Seals are highly motivated and may shift their circadian rhythm between nocturnal and diurnal to accommodate differing seasons to maximize foraging efficiency. We are considering that since their foraging behavior may depend on light and tidal trends specific to the given season, the foraging cue of releasing mass amounts of smolt during the outgoing tide overnight may have an additive or synergistic effect. We are also starting the recruitment process for new research assistants in the Spring, which is always exciting to meet other marine-mammal-motivated individuals.
While the to-do list this quarter is long, we are at an important stage of the process focused on analysis and preparation for another season which has kept me very motivated.
Seal you next month,
Mallory
Siena's Blog
Siena Gorohoff, undergraduate student
1 February 2026
Hi again! The first month of winter quarter is over which is crazy. This month has been quite busy, starting classes at the beginning of this quarter feels like it was so long ago. Classes have been taking up a lot of my free time, but I’ve still been finding time to make progress on work through data for the stranding project and starting to set up a few preliminary graphs to start to get a better picture of the data.
Observations at the creek have also started up again for the quarter and I have been so lucky to have had great weather for the observation I’ve been on. It feels weird to have sunny and warm(ish) days mid-January, but it makes hanging out at the creek a lot of fun and a lot less cold. I expect this quarter will feel busy right up until the end but so far both classes and MMEL things seem to be off to a good start.
For this coming month I’m excited to go out on more observations at the creek, it's exciting to see the ducks and geese starting to show up again as spring gets closer (even if they aren't seals). I'm also excited to hopefully go out to Friday harbor and San Juan island to check out some whale sighting spots. We're still working on planning that but likely it will be sometime this coming month!
I recently started reading the book "A Year With Seals" by Alix Morris and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of these amazing creatures! I added a poem below found in the book!
That's all I’ve got for now, see you next month!
Siena
Camryn's Blog
Camryn Sumrok, undergraduate student
1 February 2026
Greetings!
We definitely kicked off 2026 with a busy and incredible January! Winter quarter has begun, and the classes I am currently taking are Salmonid Fish Habitat and Ecology as well as Oceanography. Studying salmon this quarter will greatly add to my knowledge of these amazing fish for the Smolt Project. During our last field trip for the class, I had the opportunity to go electro-fishing for the very first time! Electro-fishing uses low-voltage electric currents in freshwater to temporarily stun fish for sampling, management, and population assessment. We were able to catch juvenile rainbow trout and coho! It felt amazing to connect with the stream/river in this way and showed me how important it is to protect these ecosystems. I have added some photos below that encapsulate my wonderful experience!
Salmonid Fish Habitat and Ecology class. Photo by unknown.
Salmonid Fish Habitat and Ecology class. Photo by unknown.
We have been very busy in MMEL so far! Mallory and I have been completing our volunteer lab work for Wild EcoHealth together, an experience I am very grateful to be a part of. We have also been continuing our work on the Smolt Project and preparing for its continuation in the spring. I am close to finishing data input, the outline for our paper is looking solid, and we are excited to start the recruitment process!
Whatcom Creek observations have been going well. I have seen 1 seal so far, which is great for the winter. I have several observations coming up and am hopeful to see more activity. The social media team has been cooking up some great Instagram posts, and I highly encourage everyone to check out our page (@wwu_mmel). Recruitment is in the works and applications are open! I am extremely excited to get some new faces in the lab and make new lab buddies.
That’s all for now! Stay warm!
Seals and Salmon,
Camryn
Chloe's Blog
Chloe Bentley, undergraduate student
1 February 2026
Hello everyone! I can't believe that February is already here!
It's so nice to come back after a break and see everyone from the lab. Now that fall is over, WC has slowed down a bit in regard to seal activity. Even so, it is still exciting as ever to get out to the creek and observe the wildlife. We are anticipating Spring and what SMOLT will provide. This month we have opened applications for the new recruiting season. We are very excited to see some new faces in the lab and see our community grow even more. If you are interested, check out our Instagram: WWU_MMEL and/or reach out to our lab!
Siena and I were able to go through all of our data, and it was very intriguing going through by hand. We are looking for any sighting or standing that is in relation to human activity. We are still working out exactly what our paper thesis will be, but we are getting a lot closer and have many routes we can take. How thrilling! Soon we are going to check out some of the site locations in person...we will keep you updated on what we find!
School has been picking up a lot these past couple weeks and has been challenging in a very good way. I feel like I am able to apply more to my major and utilize my skills. In our class for MMEL I was able to lead a discussion on the use of AI to understand and communicate with whales. It was an interesting read, and I recommend looking it up to check it out! Crazy how far our world has come, and I enjoy discussing the ethics behind new science, it is so important to!
That is about it for this month, but I am looking forward to talking with you all again soon.
Seals and Salmon,
Chloe
Alexandrea's Blog
Alexandrea Otto, graduate student
1 February 2026
In the spirit of the New Year-2026-I’d like to reintroduce myself!
I’m Alexandrea, a 27-year-old from Nebraska, where I’ve spent most of my life land-locked and curious about marine wildlife and conservation. I use she/her/hers pronouns and deeply value advocacy-whether for students, researchers, or early-career women in STEM. I’m particularly passionate about mental wellbeing and supporting the scientist first-the human behind the lab coat or personal flotation device (life jacket).
This past year, I had a realization that now feels so simple: being passionate about wildlife conservation means you have to sustain & maintain your own wellbeing in order to follow one’s life passions and contribute to the collective goal of conserving wildlife. Caring for yourself enables you to follow your life’s pursuits & purposes and ultimately helping protect the wildlife we all deeply care about. That truth inspired me to reintroduce myself-not just as a scientist, but as Alexandrea, the German-American girl who fell in love with wildlife from a young age on a dairy farm.
First photo: Alex holding a piglet on a family dairy farm in Hessen, Germany. Second photo: Alex; WDFW Stranding Intern, Talia; WDFW Sci Tech 2; and Dr. Erin D'Agnese, Founder/Lead Researcher of Wild EcoHealth; at harbor seal captures April 2025. Part of a larger, multi-component pinniped diet project: Alexandrea Otto and Erin are safely handling a female harbor seal while Talia Bailey is placing a satellite tracking device. NMFS Permit No. 22678.
From wrangling pigs to wrangling harbor seals pups (in a safe and permitted way, of course), I’ve always been drawn to advocating for wildlife that cannot and exploring how they survive & thrive in their dynamic environments.
First photo: Preschool picture day wearing a cetacean necklace. Second photo: graduate student headshot studying marine mammals in a Masters in Marine and Estuarine Science Program.
I’m also Alex, the student who proudly and unknowingly wore a cetacean necklace in her preschool photos-and today, I’m the graduate student still in her third year of completing a master’s degree while having the privilege of working a dream job in the field. I’m also the woman researcher who discovered her ADHD diagnosis later in adult life and learned to embrace it as a strength and “superpower” by developing the tools to manage it effectively. In a time when science is too often undervalued in the U.S., it’s easy for students to lose their motivation or sense of belonging. This post serves as a reminder-and reintroduction-that there is a person behind every scientist or student, and that by creating and fostering spaces where others feel understood, represented, and empowered; we can continue advancing toward a more supportive, inclusive, and accessible scientific community for everyone to be a part of and appreciate!
Till next time,
Alex