Research Collaborators

Karen Ashby, Vice President

Karen is a Vice President at Larry Walker Associates and serves as a Project Manager for LWA’s work in the stormwater and watershed management fields. Since the start of my internship, I have worked alongside Karen to provide technical and regulatory support for a number of ongoing projects where my tasks range from field work and data management to drafting technical documents and client deliverables. This internship is my first experience in the field of consulting and I am eager to continue such work in marine market sectors.

Dr. Gordon Hastie

Gordon is a Senior Research Fellow in the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at the University of St Andrews. I worked in collaboration with Gordon during my master's thesis which focussed on investigating the baseline spatial and temporal dive behaviours of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) off the coast of the UK. The long-term scope of this project is to use this information in congruence with future harbor seal dive data to determine the impacts of offshore wind farm development that is scheduled for construction within the next decade.

Dr. Ari Friedlaender

Ari is the Principal Investigator in the Biotelemetry and Behavioral Ecology Lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). I carried out an independent research project in Ari's group which involved the development of a novel methodology for quantifying sea-ice concentrations utilized by Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) using remote-sensed animal-borne video footage. During my time in this group I also gained extensive field and scientific communication experience.

Dr. Collen Reichmuth

Colleen is the Principal Investigator in the Pinniped Cognition and Sensory Systems Lab at UCSC. I served as a research technician in Colleen's lab working in project development, data collection and data analysis for nearly two years throughout my undergradute degree. This was my first hands-on introduction to marine mammal science which inspired me to pursue this field as a career.