February 2021 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

MSc in Statistical Ecology at University of St Andrews, UK
by School of Maths 11 Feb '21

11 Feb '21

Dear Colleagues We are very pleased to announce that we are taking applications for the second intake of our new MSc in Statistical Ecology detailed in the attached leaflet. This year there are two fee-waiver scholarships available, which can be applied for when applying for admission to the MSc. The MSc aims to give students * a sound understanding of the statistical foundations of modern methods in statistical ecology * Knowledge and skills to use these methods effectively * experience of applying them to real-world problems, under the supervision of experts, some of whom are leading researchers in this field The Programme involves two semesters of taught courses and a 3-month summer research dissertation. It is taught by staff at the interdisciplinary Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (https://www.creem.st-andrews.ac.uk/) The summer dissertation includes optional placements with collaborators in the UK or abroad, to give students experience of dealing with real-world problems in statistical ecology. We are delighted to announce that we intend to award scholarships to partially or fully cover MSc fees to selected successful applicants. More information is available here: Course details: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/statistics/statistical-ecology-msc/ Scholarship: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/postgraduate/scholarshi… For any additional information, please direct enquiries to maths(a)st-andrews.ac.uk<mailto:maths@st-andrews.ac.uk>. [University of St Andrews]<https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/> School of Mathematics and Statistics Mathematical Institute, North Haugh University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS Email : maths(a)st-andrews.ac.uk<mailto:maths@st-andrews.ac.uk> www.st-andrews.ac.uk<https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/> Know The Covid Code<https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/coronavirus/covid-code/> [The Covid Code]<https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/coronavirus/covid-code/> Download NHS Scotland's Protect Scotland app<https://protect.scot/> The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532

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Building equity with Indigenous Knowledge and science
by Raychelle Daniel 10 Feb '21

10 Feb '21

Hello all, I wanted to open up a conversation (and eventually dialogue?) with this community about the equitable inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in marine mammal biology. With all of the calls towards equity and inclusion, we've only really touched on this through the discussion about unpaid positions and the structures (governance/society) that allow for this to happen but a more broader conversation about equity is needed. I'm writing because I've had some conversations about Indigenous Peoples and organizations and their interactions with the marine mammal scientific community in several arctic management/policy venues. I feel like there is a need to build more equity with Indigenous peoples in the Arctic, and specifically the recognition of the value of Indigenous Knowledge (IK). In the Arctic, Indigenous Peoples (including where I'm from near the Bering Sea) have lived for millennia systematically accumulating holistic knowledge that connects across systems (eg, biological, chemical, physical, social, cultural) that has been passed from generation to generation, including to today, in modern times. This knowledge goes beyond observations, and includes a wealth of information about how the system is connected and functions that includes marine mammals role therein. In working towards building equity and better relationships between science and IK, I wanted to first hear about some of your experiences, stories and models (you can email me directly raychelleg(a)hotmail.com) and maybe those of us interested can think about ways to advance these within this community. I also wanted to share some good resources (published mostly over the past year) to build knowledge and breadth about this topic with recent academic publications and resources: Racism at root of Indigenous Knowledge being ignored in academia says UBC professor: https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/racism-at-root-of-indigenous-knowledg… Towards reconciliation: 10 calls to Action https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2020-0005 Ways of Knowing: A conversation of national and planetary significance https://www.waysofknowingforum.ca/about Decolonise science - time to end another imperial era https://theconversation.com/decolonise-science-time-to-end-another-imperial… Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska Inuit Food Sovereignty and Self-governance report https://iccalaska.org/wp-icc/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/FSSG-Report_-LR.pdf Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy book https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/indigenous-data-sovereignty-policy-magg… I am hoping that by sending this email message, I am opening up an opportunity to craft something (workshop, session, working group?) for the SMM conference coming up later this year. Please reach out to me at: Raychelle Aluaq Daniel The Pew Charitable Trusts p: 202.540.6411 | c: 202.695.9609 | e: rdaniel(a)pewtrusts.org

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Invitation to co-sign a letter on static nets & MPAs
by Fabian Ritter 10 Feb '21

10 Feb '21

Dear fellow MARMAMers! with this we would like to invite you to co-sign a letter to German Agriculture/Fisheries Minister Julia Klöckner asking her to ban static nets from MPAs. In the Baltic Proper, the Critically Endangered harbour porpoise population today is threatened by extinction. Only a few hundred animals remain in this area. Studies have shown that just one by-caught animal per year is more than the population can endure. The most effective ways to mitigate bycatch are banning static nets and switching to alternative gears and thus avoiding the overlap between porpoise abundance and fishing effort with static nets. However, no such mitigation exists until today. The expert advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) published in May 2020 elaborated necessary discrete mitigation measures so as to prevent the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise population from further decline. Inter alia, they recommended to exclude static net fisheries from marine protected areas in German, Polish, Swedish and Danish waters. However, even after the EU Commission has started a process to implement emergency measures, Germany is still not willing to fully ban static nets from its MPAs. With the attached letter, we respectfully are asking the Minister to work towards that goal. We would be happy if as many scientists from the marine mammal field would sign this letter. If you want to join us in this effort to achieve better protection of the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise, please let us know by sending your consent, together with your affiliation so that we can include you into the list of signees. Thanks and best greetings, Fabian PS: The letter was set up with the help of several harbour porpoise experts from Germany, UK, Sweden and Denmark. Fabian Ritter Policy Manager – Healthy Seas Telefon: +49 (0)1766 900 34 06 WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Implerstraße 55 D-81371 München Germany whales.org<http://whales.org> [https://secure.whales.org/secure/images/ESM/SignatureImages/DE-GW-LINK.png]<https://de.whales.org/wdc-ziele/der-gruene-wal/> [https://secure.whales.org/secure/images/ESM/CampaignImages/DE/DE22122020.png]<https://de.whales.org/wdc-ziele/meere-schuetzen/schweinswale/petition-schwe…> [WDC - Protecting Whales and Dolphins for over 30 years]<https://whales.org/> [WDC on Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/walhelfer> [WDC on Twitter] <https://www.twitter.com/WDC_Deutschland> [WDC on Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/whalesorg> [WDC on YouTube] <https://www.youtube.com/WDCSDE> [WDC Blogs] <https://de.whales.org/news-blogs/> [WDC E-Newsletter] <https://secure.whales.org/secure/newsletter/> ________________________________ WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Implerstraße 55, D-81371 München, Tel: 089 6100 2393, ist eine gemeinnützige GmbH, AG München HRB 126158 Wir sind daran interessiert, eine gute Beziehung zu Ihnen aufzubauen und Ihnen Informationen zu unseren Aktionen zukommen zu lassen. Deshalb verarbeiten wir auf Grundlage von Artikel 6 Abs. 1 Buchstabe f der Europäischen Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (auch mit Hilfe von Dienstleistern) Ihre Daten. Wenn Sie dies nicht wünschen, können Sie jederzeit bei uns der Verwendung Ihrer Daten zum Zweck, Sie zu kontaktieren, widersprechen. Sie können den Widerspruch auch per E-Mail senden an: datenschutz(a)whales.org<mailto:datenschutz@whales.org>. Weitere Informationen zum Datenschutz erhalten Sie unter whales.org/datenschutzerklarung. Unsere Datenschutzbeauftragte erreichen Sie ebenfalls unter unserer Anschrift. Diese E-Mail enthält vertrauliche und/oder rechtlich geschützte Informationen. Wenn Sie diese E-Mail irrtümlich erhalten haben, informieren Sie bitte sofort den Absender und löschen Sie diese Mail. Das unerlaubte Kopieren sowie die unbefugte Weitergabe dieser Mail sind nicht gestattet. This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you have received this message in error, please notify us and remove it from your system. Any unauthorized copying or distribution of this message is forbidden. ________________________________

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New publication: Vessel Traffic and Whale Behavior
by Jens Currie 09 Feb '21

09 Feb '21

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of a new article that is part of a Frontiers in Marine Science’s special issue on Whale-watching Impacts: Science, Human Dimensions and Management<https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/11989/whale-watching-impacts-sc…>: 2021: Currie, J.J., McCordic, J.A., Olson, G.L., Machernis, A.F., & Stack, S.H. The Impact of Vessels on Humpback Whale Behavior: The Benefit of Added Whale Watching Guidelines. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8: 601433 Abstract: The concurrent increase in marine tourism and vessel traffic around the world highlights the need for developing responsible whale watching guidelines. To determine the impact of vessel presence on humpback whale behaviors in Maui Nui, a land-based study was conducted from 2015 to 2018 in Maui, Hawai'i. Theodolite tracks were used to summarize humpback whale swim speed, respiration rate, dive time, and path directness to determine the potential impacts of various types of vessel presence on whale behavior. Vessel presence, proximity, and approach type in conjunction with biological parameters were used in a generalized additive modeling framework to explain changes in whale behaviors. The results presented here show increases in swim speed, respiration rate, and path directness in conjunction with decreasing dive times, which has been shown to be an energetically demanding avoidance strategy. These observations, in conjunction with increasing awareness on the implication of non-lethal effects of human disturbance and changing oceanic environments on humpback whales, highlights the need for a pre-cautionary approach to management. Stricter guidelines on whale watching will limit the level of disturbance to individual humpback whales in Hawai'i and ensure they maintain the fitness required to compensate for varying ecological and anthropogenic conditions. The full article is available online at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.601433/full or email me to request a PDF copy: jenscurrie(a)pacificwhale.org Jens Currie Chief Scientist Pacific Whale Foundation, Domestic Research Program Mo-bile Phone: (808) 990-5544 Office Phone: (808) 856-8338* Fax: 808-856-8363 Email: jenscurrie(a)pacificwhale.org *I am currently working remotely [cid:a76cb865-4784-48e7-a95e-98833367720e]

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Fwd: Job Opening with NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) Office of Science & Technology
by Erin McMichael 09 Feb '21

09 Feb '21

> Please post.... > > > Dear Colleagues, > > I'm writing to share a job announcement for an Assessment Branch Chief in NOAA Fisheries' Office of Science and Technology (Assessment and Monitoring Division). > > https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/591606700#duties <https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/591606700#duties> > > This announcement is open from Monday, February 8 - Monday, February 15, and is available to U.S. citizens. When viewing the posting, please double check the open period, because it may change to Feb. 10-18. > > This is a supervisory position and the Assessment Branch currently includes 6 Federal Employees and 9 contractors. The Branch is composed of a National Protected Species Science Program and a National Fish Stock Assessment Program and focuses on a number of activities, such as ocean acoustics, <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/understanding-sound-ocean> marine mammal stock assessments <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/population-assessments#marine-mammals>, sea turtles <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sea-turtles>, corals <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/corals>, protected species climate vulnerability assessments <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/climate/climate-vulnerability-asses…>, implementation of a Next Generation Stock Assessment Enterprise <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/updated-stock-assessment-impro…>, the Stock SMART <https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/stocksmart?app=homepage> web portal, stock assessment prioritization <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/stock-assessment-prioritization>, stock assessment training <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/population-assessments/stock-assess…>, the Fisheries Integrated Toolbox <https://noaa-fisheries-integrated-toolbox.github.io/>, and quantitative modeling; in particular the Fisheries Integrated Modeling System <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/population-assessments/fisheries-in…>. > > Please feel free to share this announcement with potential candidates. > > Thank you, > Patrick > > -- > Patrick Lynch > Chief, Assessment and Monitoring Division > NOAA Fisheries | Office of Science & Technology > > > www.fisheries.noaa.gov <http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/> > > > > > > > > >

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Dolphin Research Internship Program in Portugal
by AIMM Internships 09 Feb '21

09 Feb '21

*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL* *BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI or SSDI instructor. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of July to 31st November 2020. The minimum internship attendance is 14 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos. Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions. The field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: · Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; · Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; · Access and collect environmental data; · Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; · Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos; · Measure water visibility with the Secchi disk methodology; · Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2020 season, please contact: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org *Included* in the fee is: · Accommodation in the research house; · Transportation to/from the marina; · Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); · Fieldwork in the research vessel. *Not included* in the fee is: · Transportation to/from Albufeira; · Meals in restaurants and snacks; · Free time activities; · Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); · Personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* · Be above the age of 16; · Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; · Be autonomous and flexible; · Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; · Speak English; · Participate for minimum 14 days. *Preference will be given* to those who have: · Relevant marine mammal field experience · Working experience on research vessels · Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms · Experience in photo-identification · Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID · Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * Applicants should fill up the online application at: https://www.aimmportugal.org/application-form AIMM will send a confirmation e-mail with all the details about the internship and asking for your Resume/CV, motivation letter (small statement or a video, on which are your expectations and why do you want to work with AIMM) and the period of time that you want to do the program. OR Applicants should send an e-mail to: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org, with the subject “*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP*”. You will receive and e-mail with the availability and all the other details. Applications will be accepted during all season. However, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow links are a shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira. You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investigação do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/AIMM.org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] <https://twitter.com/AIMMPortugal> [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/aimmportugal_org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] <http://www.youtube.com/c/AimmportugalOrg>

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Presenting our new publication
by Dóra Székely 09 Feb '21

09 Feb '21

Dear MARMAN team, We would like to present our newest publication, where you can read about how sampling the “footprints” of bowhead whales for environmental DNA has proven to be a useful way of obtaining genetic data. Székely, D., Corfixen, N.L., Mørch, L.L., Knudsen, S.W., McCarthy, M.L., Teilmann, J., Heide‐Jørgensen, M.P. and Olsen, M.T., 2021. Environmental DNA captures the genetic diversity of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in West Greenland. Environmental DNA. Abstract Environmental changes are prominent in Arctic ecosystems, where the distribution, abundance, life history and health of marine organisms such as the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is tightly connected to sea ice and sea temperature. However, due to the logistical challenges of data collection in the Arctic, appropriate assessments of the past, present and current effects of climate change and human activities are lacking for many Arctic species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is emerging as a non-invasive and cost-effective way of obtaining genetic material from the environment and has the potential to complement traditional methods for biodiversity and genetic monitoring. In this study, we investigate if eDNA isolated from seawater samples has the capacity to capture the genetic diversity of bowhead whales in Disko Bay, West Greenland, for implementation of long-term genetic monitoring programmes of key Arctic marine species. A total of 41 eDNA ‘footprint’ samples were obtained from the water surface after a whale had dived and an additional 54 eDNA samples were collected along transect lines. Samples were screened for bowhead DNA using a species-specific qPCR primer and probe assay, and a subset of 30 samples were successfully Sanger sequenced to generate individual mitochondrial control region haplotypes. Moreover, by shotgun sequencing ten footprint samples on an Illumina NovaSeq platform we show that footprints generally contain less than 1% endogenous DNA, resulting in partial mitochondrial genomes in four samples out of ten samples. Our findings suggest that sampling in the footprint or wake of travelling animals is a promising method for capturing the genetic diversity of bowhead whales and other marine megafauna. With optimisation of sampling and target-DNA sequencing for higher endogenous DNA yield, seawater eDNA samples have a large potential for implementation in the long-term population genetic monitoring of marine megafauna in the Arctic and elsewhere. Full article can be accessed (open access): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/edn3.176 Kind regards, Dóra Székely

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New publication on modelling disturbance impacts on porpoises
by Cara Gallagher 09 Feb '21

09 Feb '21

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to share our recent publication in the American Naturalist titled: “Movement and Seasonal Energetics Mediate Vulnerability to Disturbance in Marine Mammal Populations”. Cara A. Gallagher, Volker Grimm, Line A. Kyhn, Carl Chr. Kinze, and Jacob Nabe-Nielsen ABSTRACT: In marine environments, noise from human activities is increasing dramatically, causing animals to alter their behavior and forage less efficiently. These alterations incur energetic costs that can result in reproductive failure and death and may ultimately influence population viability, yet the link between population dynamics and individual energetics is poorly understood. We present an energy budget model for simulating effects of acoustic disturbance on populations. It accounts for environmental variability and individual state, while incorporating realistic animal movements. Using harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) as a case study, we evaluated population consequences of disturbance from seismic surveys and investigated underlying drivers of vulnerability. The framework reproduced empirical estimates of population structure and seasonal variations in energetics. The largest effects predicted for seismic surveys were in late summer and fall and were unrelated to local abundance, but instead were related to lactation costs, water temperature, and body fat. Our results demonstrate that consideration of temporal variation in individual energetics and their link to costs associated with disturbances is imperative when predicting disturbance impacts. These mechanisms are general to animal species, and the framework presented here can be used for gaining new insights into the spatiotemporal variability of animal movements and energetics that control population dynamics. The article is freely available at: https://doi.org/10.1086/712798 Please feel free to contact me if with any questions. Kind regards, Cara Gallagher Postdoctoral researcher Department of Plant Ecology and Conservation Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam, Germany Gallagher(a)uni-potsdam.de

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New publication: Walrus teeth as biomonitors of trace elements in Arctic marine ecosystems
by Casey Clark 08 Feb '21

08 Feb '21

Hello MARMAM Members, On behalf of my co-authors and myself, I am pleased to share our new paper, titled “Walrus teeth as biomonitors of trace elements in Arctic marine ecosystems”, recently published in Science of the Total Environment. The paper is open access, and is available here: http://bit.ly/3p2Bfmf <http://bit.ly/3p2Bfmf> Clark, C.T., L. Horstmann, and N. Misarti. 2021. Walrus teeth as biomonitors of trace elements in Arctic marine ecosystems. Science of the Total Environment. 772: 145500. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145500 Abstract: Effective biomonitoring requires an understanding of the factors driving concentrations of the substances or compounds of interest in the tissues of studied organisms. Biomonitoring of trace elements, and heavy metals in particular, has been the focus of much research; however, the complex roles many trace elements play in animal and plant tissues can make it difficult to disentangle environmental signals from physiology. This study examined the concentrations of 15 trace elements in the teeth of 122 Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) to investigate the potential for walrus teeth as biomonitors of trace elements in Arctic ecosystems. Elemental concentrations were measured across cementum growth layer groups (GLGs), thereby reconstructing a lifetime history of element concentrations for each walrus. The locations of GLGs were used to divide trace element time series into individual years, allowing each GLG to be associated with an animal age and a calendar year. The elements studied exhibited a great deal of complexity, reflecting the numerous factors responsible for generating tooth trace element concentrations. Generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate the importance of age and sex in explaining observed variation in trace element concentrations. Some elements exhibited clear physiological signals (particularly zinc, strontium, barium, and lead), and all elements except arsenic varied by age and/or sex. Pearson's correlations revealed that elements were more strongly correlated among calendar years than among individual walruses, and correlations of trace elements within individual walruses were generally inconsistent or weak. Plots of average elemental concentrations through time from 1945 to 2014 further supported the correlation analyses, with many elements exhibiting similar patterns across the ~70-year period. Together, these results indicate the importance of physiology in modulating tooth trace element concentrations in walrus tooth cementum, but suggest that many trace elements reflect a record of environmental exposure and dietary intake/uptake. I am happy to provide a PDF of the article upon request. Please email me at casey.t.clark(a)gmail.com <mailto:casey.t.clark@gmail.com> if you are interested, or if you have any questions about the paper. Best regards, Casey Clark Lead Marine Mammal Researcher Science Division, Wildlife Program Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Dr. Stan Kuczaj Memorial Travel Grant
by Heather Hill 08 Feb '21

08 Feb '21

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2020-2021 “COVID-modified”Kuczaj Memorial Travel Grant, which is given to students attending theConference on Comparative Cognition. The grant is administered in memory of Dr.Stan Kuczaj, who was a leader in the study of comparative animal cognition,particularly within marine mammals. Stan believed in pursuing challengingtopics in human and animal cognition with rigor, candor, and the spirit ofintellectual adventure. The Kuczaj Memorial Travel Grant is administered withthe goal of preserving and promoting Stan’s interests and beliefs in scientificpursuit. To accommodate the virtual format of the 2021 CO3conference, the travel grants for this year will be research support grants.The grants will be for graduate students who are currently in the process ofconducting their thesis research and are in need of financial support to meettheir research objectives. Applicants for the 2020-2021 COVID-modified Kuczaj MemorialTravel Grant must: 1) be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of theapplication, 2) have their abstract accepted for presentation at the Conferenceon Comparative Cognition, 3) submit their long abstract with additionalinformation indicating the project that would be supported by the grant forevaluation and ranking, and 4) provide evidence of graduate enrollment. TheKuczaj Memorial Travel Grant is determined through a competitive rankingprocess based upon the quality of the abstracts submitted. For the current application cycle, grants are for $500 in researchsupport to be applied toward a current or proposed project. Two grants will beawarded and grantees will be selected and notified of the award by March 15,2021. Applications must be submitted to Dr. Heather Hill (hhill1(a)stmarytx.edu)no later than February 28, 2021.

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