MS Opportunity - Trends in Common Bottlenose Dolphin Demography in Biscayne Bay
Colorado State University (State) | https://liseaubry.wixsite.com/aubrypopecology/
Details
Posting:
Application Deadline:
06/23/2025
Published:
06/03/2025
Starting Date:
after 8/18/2025
Ending Date:
after 7/31/2027
Hours per Week:
40
Salary:
$2,600 to $2,800 per month
Education Required:
Bachelors
Experience Required:
none
Location:
Colorado State University (Fort Collins, Colorado)
Tags:
Graduate Opportunities
Description
MS Opportunity: Trends in Common Bottlenose Dolphin Demography in Biscayne Bay
Start date: August 2025
Location: Colorado State University
The labs of Dr. Lise Aubry and Dr. Bill Kendall at Colorado State University are seeking a MSc
student for a research project on the estimation of demographic trends of bottlenose dolphins
in Biscayne Bay, Florida, from long-term survey data.
Project Description
The main goals of this MSc project are to i) Estimate the abundance of Common Bottlenose
Dolphin in Biscayne Bay and potential temporal trends in abundance over the length of the
study; ii) Evaluate the impact of environmental (e.g. regional climate) and anthropogenetic
predictors (e.g. water quality, sea surface temperature, fisheries, vessel usage) on abundance,
as well as on the underlying vital rates that drive changes in abundance over time (i.e. survival
and recruitment); iii) attempt to improve upon the use of findfindR to assist with photo
matching and develop Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning tools to improve and automate
individual matching from photo IDs.
Candidate Profile
• Academic background in statistics, biology, ecology, or a related field (BSc degree or
equivalent).
• Strong quantitative skills.
• Good understanding of demographic modeling (i.e. vital rate estimation in particular).
• Experience with machine learning preferred.
• Interest in resource management and conservation, and the impacts of environmental and
climate change on marine mammal populations.
• Autonomy, scientific rigor, critical thinking, and ability to work collaboratively in both
academic and government research environments.
• Willingness to conduct fieldwork on small vessels.
• Valid driver’s license.
Conditions
• The MSc will be based at Colorado State University under the joint supervision of Lise Aubry
and Bill Kendall, with regular stays at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center NOAA Miami
and Biscayne Bay.
• Two years of funding are guaranteed with a monthly stipend of $2,800/month, tuition and
fees covered and funds to support field work and academic travels.
• The student will benefit from strong mentorship and a dynamic research environment within
an active network in quantitative ecology and conservation science in the Fish, Wildlife, and
Conservation Biology Department (FWCB) at Colorado State University. The selected
candidate will collaborate with scientists from FWCB, the USGS Colorado Cooperative Fish and
Wildlife Research Unit, and Dr. Matthew bowers at the NOAA Marine Mammal and Turtle
Division at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center.
Application
Interested candidates should send a CV, transcripts, a cover letter describing their academic
and research interests, and contact information for at least two references by June 21, 2025
(or until the position is filled) to lise.aubry@colostate.edu and William.kendall@colostate.edu
About Colorado State University
Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities
and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located
an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately
157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large
city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000
foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities.
Start date: August 2025
Location: Colorado State University
The labs of Dr. Lise Aubry and Dr. Bill Kendall at Colorado State University are seeking a MSc
student for a research project on the estimation of demographic trends of bottlenose dolphins
in Biscayne Bay, Florida, from long-term survey data.
Project Description
The main goals of this MSc project are to i) Estimate the abundance of Common Bottlenose
Dolphin in Biscayne Bay and potential temporal trends in abundance over the length of the
study; ii) Evaluate the impact of environmental (e.g. regional climate) and anthropogenetic
predictors (e.g. water quality, sea surface temperature, fisheries, vessel usage) on abundance,
as well as on the underlying vital rates that drive changes in abundance over time (i.e. survival
and recruitment); iii) attempt to improve upon the use of findfindR to assist with photo
matching and develop Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning tools to improve and automate
individual matching from photo IDs.
Candidate Profile
• Academic background in statistics, biology, ecology, or a related field (BSc degree or
equivalent).
• Strong quantitative skills.
• Good understanding of demographic modeling (i.e. vital rate estimation in particular).
• Experience with machine learning preferred.
• Interest in resource management and conservation, and the impacts of environmental and
climate change on marine mammal populations.
• Autonomy, scientific rigor, critical thinking, and ability to work collaboratively in both
academic and government research environments.
• Willingness to conduct fieldwork on small vessels.
• Valid driver’s license.
Conditions
• The MSc will be based at Colorado State University under the joint supervision of Lise Aubry
and Bill Kendall, with regular stays at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center NOAA Miami
and Biscayne Bay.
• Two years of funding are guaranteed with a monthly stipend of $2,800/month, tuition and
fees covered and funds to support field work and academic travels.
• The student will benefit from strong mentorship and a dynamic research environment within
an active network in quantitative ecology and conservation science in the Fish, Wildlife, and
Conservation Biology Department (FWCB) at Colorado State University. The selected
candidate will collaborate with scientists from FWCB, the USGS Colorado Cooperative Fish and
Wildlife Research Unit, and Dr. Matthew bowers at the NOAA Marine Mammal and Turtle
Division at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center.
Application
Interested candidates should send a CV, transcripts, a cover letter describing their academic
and research interests, and contact information for at least two references by June 21, 2025
(or until the position is filled) to lise.aubry@colostate.edu and William.kendall@colostate.edu
About Colorado State University
Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities
and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located
an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately
157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large
city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000
foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities.
Contact
Lise Aubry
lise.aubry@colostate.edu (preferred contact method)