*Call for applicants for a funded PhD project: population assessments for insular cetaceans in the Main Hawaiian Islands* The Marine Mammal Research Program at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, NOAA Fisheries’ Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center and Cascadia Research Collective are seeking applicants for a PhD project that aims to improve population assessments for insular cetaceans in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). Applicants must have strong analytical skillsets and, ideally, strong coding experience in areas pertaining to machine-learning and artificial intelligence. The successful candidate will be provided with full tuition costs and a PhD stipend for four years at the University of Hawaiʻi, funded by the NOAA Fisheries QUEST program (see below). As the fellowship is intended to create a pipeline into NOAA Fisheries, the supported student *must be a U.S. citizen*. *Background/context* Hawaiʻi’s unique ecosystems support insular (island-associated) populations of several cetacean species that are otherwise considered to have pelagic distributions. To date, five species with island-associated stocks in the Main Hawaiian Islands are recognized within the NMFS Stock Assessment Reports, including spinner, pantropical spotted, and bottlenose dolphins, false killer whales and melon-headed whales, and others are likely to be recognized in the coming years as additional genetic, movement, abundance, and demographic data become available. Assessments of insular cetaceans are challenged by the distribution of these stocks, as typical large-scale line-transect surveys used for surveying cetaceans over large areas are inappropriate and yield insufficient sightings to conduct robust abundance analyses. Further, many of these island-associated stocks overlap with pelagic populations. PIFSC and CRC have been conducting surveys near each of the MHI for over a decade and have amassed a large sighting, individual photo-ID, and telemetry dataset for over a dozen species. To date, these data have been essential for evaluating population structure and range and have provided the data needed to conduct mark-recapture abundance estimates for some insular stocks, including MHI insular false killer whales (Bradford et al. 2017) and bottlenose dolphins (Van Cise et al. *in review, *Baird et al. 2009). However, nonsystematic data collection and the significant time investment to maintain photo-ID catalogs for some species have meant that the data do not readily fit within NOAA’s other assessment frameworks. This PhD project will aim to adapt existing or develop new analytical tools to allow for greater use of this type of non-systematic data commonly collected by CRC, PIFSC, and other research partners in order to help the PIFSC fill assessment gaps for several insular populations. The specific approach and species chosen will be determined based on the qualifications and interests of the selected graduate student and in collaboration with the MMRP, PIFSC and CRC partners, though will generally include the elements described below. This project will aim to use a rich sighting, photo, and telemetry dataset from one or more species to develop and validate new analytical approaches that do not require such a rich dataset for use on the other species. Projects may include: · Development and application of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches for photo-ID matching or other analyses. · Development of advanced statistical approaches to modeling species abundance and range using survey datasets with non-systematic effort, possibly including use of encounter-only models to assess population abundance, with validation of those models using the photo-ID and telemetry data available for those species. · Examining the sensitivity of resulting abundance and other demographic parameter estimates to various data types, data distribution through time, and other factors that may influence population demographics. We encourage applicants with strong coding and statistical skills to apply. The successful graduate student will most likely use large datasets collected from false killer whales, rough-toothed or spotted dolphins, though data from a number of other species are also available for development, testing, and validation of approaches. The project is well-suited to a PhD project given the need to explore a variety of analytical frameworks, understand the nature of large and complex datasets, and develop and validate approaches that can be used in an assessment context. The student will be well-supported by a highly quantitative team at the University of Hawaiʻi and PIFSC and the successful student will contribute directly to NOAA Fisheries assessment needs. The Quantitative Ecology and Socioeconomics Training (QUEST) program is designed to prepare the next generation of assessment scientists for careers in fisheries or protected species population assessment, ecosystem assessment, and marine resource economics. The PIFSC QUEST program supports graduate fellowships for students working toward such quantitative fields, with the goal of building capacity for the PIFSC workforce to meet its science requirements under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Endangered Species Act. QUEST students collaborate with PIFSC researchers to develop student capabilities and skills directly related to mission needs. The QUEST student will work closely with a PIFSC work-group (in this case the Cetacean Research Program within the Protected Species Division) and will be expected to spend a portion of each year (generally summer, though this is flexible) working at PIFSC. As the fellowship is intended to create a pipeline into NOAA Fisheries, the supported student must be a U.S. citizen. *To apply*: Candidates should submit the following materials via email to lbejder@hawaii.edu in a single PDF document, with the file name “YourLastName_QUEST_PhD.pdf” and the subject heading “QUEST PhD application” by 1 October, 2020: 1) Brief introductory cover letter (maximum of 1 page) 2) Two statements covering (maximum 1 page each): a) Provide an overview of your quantitative skillsets, analytical skillsets and/or coding experience in areas pertaining to machine-learning and artificial intelligence. b) What you hope to gain through a graduate school experience 3) Your CV The chosen candidate would then apply (in December 2020) for entrance into a PhD program with the Marine Mammal Research Program at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii – with a start date in August 2021.