University Studies on Svalbard (UNIS) will offer a graduate course in Biotelemetry and Biologging in May 2011 (for MSc & PhD students) in Longyearbyen (High (!) Arctic Norway)

Applications must be received by 15 February – contact Ane Hammervoll Bjørsvik [Ane.Hammervoll.Bjorsvik@unis.no] for details or visit the UNIS home page www.unis.no

Norway encourages foreign student participation (& tuition is free in Norway – UNIS is highly international and classes are in ENGLISH).

Course in Biotelemetry and Biologging (with strong marine mammal components)

Topics including:

1) Basic principles for radio signal transmission & antenna theory

2) Telemetric technology, regulations and management of frequencies

3) Ethics (animal welfare) in biotelemetry/biologging

4) Introduction to VHF-based telemetry andGPS-positioning systems in biotelemetry -transmitters applications and limitations

5) Telemetry & biologging equipment - a manufacturers perspective

6) User “issues” – another manufacturer’s perspective – trouble shooting

7) Maps, mapping and GPS technology - Practical applications

8) Acoustic telemetry - Methods & Science questions

9) Range size, habitat use etc. (Storage, and retrieval of data and the integration of animal tracks and terrestrial environmental data)

10) An introduction to GIS tools

11) Design considerations/limitations in marine mammal biotelemetry

12) Biotelemetry and biologging with Svalbard’s marine mammals – case studies

13) Linking marine mammal telemetry & the environment - MAMVIS & statistical tools

14) Remote methods in sea bird research – transponders, photographic & case studies

15) Fish tracking

16) Physiological telemetry -applications and potential

17) Looking into the future....

Students will go into the field on several day-long expeditions during the course in boats and on snowmobiles (safety training is provided at the start of all course offerings at UNIS J)

Kit M. Kovacs, Prof.

Biodiversity Research Section Leader

Norwegian Polar Institute

9296 Tromsø

Norway