Research Assistant
I recently graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a minor in Marine Biology. During my undergraduate studies, I delved a bit into animal behavior research with dogs, gorillas, and seals. I grew up in a small ski town in Utah and did not have much exposure to marine life. But upon moving to Seattle and joining the Oceans Initiative team, I discovered my passion lies with cetacean conservation and research.
I started working with Oceans Initiative as a member of the southern resident killer whale field team in summer 2020. I have been also involved in the TAST project with seals and plan to get my hands in a few other projects. I hope to go back to school in the near future to obtain a Masters of Science degree or PhD in cetacean ecology and behavior. I am particularly interested in the social structure of odontocetes such as southern resident killer whales and beluga whales, and the role sociality plays in conservation. In the meantime, I am so grateful to work with such a wonderful community of scientists at Oceans Initiative and to have the opportunity to participate in cutting edge marine science.
