A Master’s in Marine Mammal Science on Sarasota Bay.

In this introductory course, students will learn more about the theories and methods related to studying marine mammal cognition (Mod 1) and neuroscience (Mod 2). In Neuroscience, methods covered will include structural and functional MRI, electrophysiology, histology, and varied approaches to comparative anatomy and physiology. Students will have hands-on experience with marine mammal tissues and imaging datasets. Emphasis will be placed on understanding marine mammal nervous systems in terms of ontogeny and phylogeny, and their relationship to behavioral ecology and disease processes.

In this course, students will delve into the world of marine mammals, including cetaceans, sirenians, pinnipeds, and mustelids. Key areas of study encompass life history, physiology, energetics, ecology, cognition, sensory biology, and reproduction. Further, we address the conservation and management challenges faced by these species. By the end, students will understand the classification of marine mammals, their aquatic adaptations, their ecological roles within marine habitats, and key conservation issues.

In this individualized class, students work with faculty and other students to collect or analyze data in an area selected by the class participants. Data collection will often be done off-site at a marine mammal facility or in the field.

In this on-going seminar, faculty and students will meet weekly to discuss each other’s on-going scientific work as well as sharing and discussing peer-reviewed journal articles relevant to that work. Some meetings will include readings, talks by guest speakers, and consideration of hot topics in marine mammal science.

In this January-term seminar, each student will work with each other and their professors to draft a proposal for their thesis project. The seminar will provide guidance on building a well-constructed proposal including formulating a strong research question, developing a literature review, outlining methodology, drafting an analysis plan, and discussing possible outcomes. A focus will be placed on clear communication, demonstrating project feasibility, and thoughtful planning.

In this course, students will learn about methods to derive information from biological studies, including statistical approaches to interpret laboratory and clinical results. We will cover relevant background on descriptive and inferential statistics, study design and power estimation, hypothesis testing, survival analysis, and Bayesian inference. While some application is required, emphasis is placed on why and when to use each approach. We will give special attention to methods of inference where no underlying distribution is known, a common case in biological research.

In this course, students will work on individualized approaches to data analysis and interpretation. Students will be guided through the process of identifying, conducting, and interpreting data analyses that are specifically tailored to their research projects. Where appropriate, statistical software and programming languages will be utilized and advanced statistical techniques covered.

In this January-term seminar, each student will create a first draft of their thesis. The seminar will help students organize their findings, consider how their findings fit into the larger context of their field, and synthesize the literature they have reviewed. Additionally, guidance will be provided on the process of structuring and writing a thesis.

In this focused seminar, students will work to turn their thesis work into a journal article. The seminar will provide guidance on how to structure a manuscript, present data in a clear manner, and effectively communicate complex scientific ideas in writing. An emphasis will be placed on the importance of revision, seeking feedback, and conforming to journal expectations.

This course begins with an introduction to underwater acoustic principles, focusing on sound propagation, reflection, absorption, and ambient noise in marine environments. Students will then explore the diverse vocal repertoires of marine mammals, including cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sirenians, emphasizing their functional significance in communication, navigation, and foraging. A pivotal component of this course is the introduction to passive acoustic monitoring techniques. These techniques allow for continuous and non-intrusive monitoring of marine mammals so we may learn about their behavior and ecology.

This seminar will focus on learning theory (e.g., classical and instrumental conditioning) and cognitive processes (e.g., perception, attention, memory, timing) in a variety of species as well as the methods used to study these topics. We will consider this work through multiple frameworks (e.g., ecology, philosophy, conservation). This will include contributions to behavioral flexibility in marine mammals and how cognition suits different species for dealing with different sorts of environmental and social problems. Students will engage in assessment and design of studies as well as honing their communication skills.

The substantial similarities in basic associative learning principles across vertebrates permits generalization of many learning characteristics from the study of just one species. In this lab, students will apply their knowledge of animal learning through training goldfish (Carassius auratus) as a representative species. The laboratory hands-on work will be supplemented with observations of training of marine mammal species (e.g., dolphins, manatees) and shadowing of marine mammal trainers. This course provides basic skills and foundation concepts for behavioral study of cognition.

In this course students will examine theory and emerging empirical findings examining changes in marine mammal nervous systems as they speciated. We’ll examine adaptations to aquatic environments and look at the impact of vastly different foraging and social ecologies in pinnipeds and cetaceans. We’ll also consider sensory adaptations in sea otters and sirenians and examine the peripheral and central mechanisms for these. This course is integrative and will span all levels of Neuroscience (Molecular to Systems) and also include diverse concepts in behavioral and sensory ecology.

Dolphins produce a remarkable number of vocalizations. In this time-compressed intensive seminar, we will investigate the structure, functions, and variety of these vocalizations with a specific emphasis on dolphin whistles. Students will explore how we study and what we know about these whistles, including hands-on experience with a local passive acoustic monitoring system set up in Sarasota Bay.

This course will focus on the outsized role state and federal agencies play in conservation management from permitting to funding to conservation policy. Students will learn how these organizations operate, their impact on research and development, strategies for securing funding, how to navigate logistical challenges, and how to navigate career planning in these organizations.