Marine Mammal Passive Acoustic Monitoring, Ecology, and Conservation
NMFS monitors marine mammals in the Southeast using acoustics to study population trends, understand ecological drivers, and assess sound impacts, including Deepwater Horizon effects.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Application Deadline)
Funding Amounts: $56,000 stipend plus $2,000 travel allowance; relocation and health insurance benefits available. Typical award duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Fellowship supporting postdoctoral and senior researchers conducting marine mammal passive acoustic monitoring, ecological modeling, and conservation research at NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and non-U.S. citizens; requires contacting research adviser prior to applying; research focused on Gulf of Mexico, southeastern U.S., and Caribbean marine mammals.
Description
This fellowship opportunity is offered through the NRC Research Associateship Programs in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), specifically at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) located in Miami, FL. The Marine Mammal Program at SEFSC conducts long-term assessments of marine mammal populations across the Gulf of Mexico, southeastern U.S. Atlantic waters, and the Caribbean. The program supports conservation and management efforts under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
The research focuses on passive acoustic monitoring to assess marine mammal distribution, density, and abundance trends. It also aims to understand ecological and anthropogenic drivers of these trends, including the impacts of ocean noise from man-made sources such as shipping and seismic surveys. The program is involved in restoration projects addressing the effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill on marine mammals.
Research areas include:
- Development and implementation of advanced passive acoustic density estimation methods, including time-series trend analyses.
- Measurement and characterization of anthropogenic noise levels and modeling their impacts on marine mammals.
- Ecological modeling of marine mammal densities using long-term moored passive acoustic data.
- Spatially explicit risk assessments of noise sources using spatial data such as Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel tracking and marine mammal density models.
This fellowship provides a unique opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team using state-of-the-art acoustic monitoring technologies and ecological modeling approaches to support marine mammal conservation.
