Harbor seals from the air: Aerial surveys allow us to estimate their number and occurrences.
Harbor seals in a creek: Some harbor seals sometimes visit creeks during salmon runs to feed.
Harbor seal resting: Harbor seals frequently haul-out on land
for many reasons, including to rest.
Harbor seal on logs: Harbor seals haul-out on many places, including rocky beaches and floating logs.
Harbor seal molting: Harbor seals molt their fur on a seasonal basis.
Transmitter on head: Transmitters allow us to recover data; they fall off when seals molt in autumn.
Research
We are interested in understanding the ecology of marine mammals and improving the teaching of science.
Biology Research
My students and I examine the role of marine mammals in their environment and their interactions with humans. Most of the work in the lab has concentrated on studying harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Salish Sea.
However we have also studied California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) off the Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, USA; river otters (Lontra canadensis) in the Salish Sea and the Olympic Peninsula; New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) off Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand; bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) off the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica; harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Baltic Sea; and bottlenose dolphins in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica.
We even dabbled on studying long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) recovery in Costa Rica!
Science Education
I collaborate with faculty from the Science Mathematics and Technology Education program of Western Washington University to improve the teaching of science by preparing pre-service teachers and assisting in-service teachers and university faculty.
My science education work has concentrated on participating in various projects led by other SMATE faculty: improving the teaching and learning of science in NW Washington State, enhancing the teaching skills of MSc science students and developing a research-based curriculum for the biology classroom. Most recently, I am involved in a multi-instituional collaborative project to understand how institutes of higher education work with their local communities to recruit and support students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM teacher preparation: Racial Equity in STEM Starts with Teacher Education.
Past Research
Biological Research
- The foraging ecology of harbor seals (part I)
- We studied the distribution, movements, diet and potential impact of harbor seals on commercially important fishes in the Salish Sea.
- New Zealand fur seals and tourists
- We examined if tourists comply with regulations to observe New Zealand fur seals.
- Harbor porpoises in the Baltic Sea
- We helped assessed the distribution and abundance of harbor porpoises in the Baltic Sea.
Science Education Work
- Life Science and Everyday Thinking
- Dr. Deborah Donovan, from Western Washington University, colleagues from various institutions and myself developed a student-centered curriculum based on the latest findings on how people learn and best teaching practices.
- Catalysts for Reform
- We collaborated with middle schools to improve the communication skills of MSc students. The project was led by Dr. Scott Linneman. We also taught a graduate seminar to enhance the skill of TAs in communicating science to different audiences.
- North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership
- We colaborated with schools and community colleges to improve teaching and learning in both K-12 and higher education in 26 school districts of Northwest Washington. The project was led by Dr. George Nelson.