Marine Mammal Research Internships (For a detailed description and more information, please see our website at www.whalecenter.org/intern.htm) The Whale Center of New England, located in Gloucester, MA, is a non-profit research organization involved with the study of behavior, ecology, and natural history of the whales and dolphins found in the waters off of Massachusetts. Primary concentration is on an individually-identified population of humpback whales that spend portions of the spring, summer, and fall in these waters. Additional species studied in this area include fin whales, minke whales, North Atlantic right whales, sei whales and Atlantic white-sided dolphins. The Whale Center is also heavily involved with habitat conservation and education programs. Since the early 1980's, the Whale Center has provided annual spring, summer, and fall internships to undergraduate students who have completed their freshman year of studies and to recent college graduates. We are currently looking to fill research internships for the spring (January 30 - May 26) semester of 2006. The Whale Center of New England internship provides experience needed to further pursue fields in marine biology and animal behavior. It is our goal to provide interns with the opportunity to collect valuable information important to the marine mammal field and to see how this information is used in management and conservation efforts in this area. Many of our former interns have continued to pursue their interests in various fields of biology and education. Each internship session offers different experiences in marine mammal science that will depend on the season. These duties may include, but are not limited to: extensive photo and computer work (training provided), field data collection aboard commercial whale watching vessels and our 27' research boat Silver II, attendance at necropsies (whale autopsies), stranding response, seal surveys and attendance at conferences and meetings. Fall and spring interns also have the opportunity to create a dedicated project utilizing the more than 26 years of behavioral data collected at the Whale Center of New England. Interns are involved in the project from start to finish and will present their findings at the end of the session. Interns live together in a common apartment and share cooking and cleaning duties. Rooms may be shared with one other person. A living arrangement such as this is conducive to open discussion and interaction between peers, and home life is often a continuation of the day in the field. Therefore, it is essential that candidates can combine these two areas. A fee of $1000 for the period is charged to cover housing, utilities, educational materials, staff support, and a weekly food stipend. College credit may be arranged by the student through their department or as an independent research program at their college or university. The Whale Center encourages this, and will take whatever steps are required to facilitate such efforts. Internship applicants should have the following: * A background in biology, zoology, or related field * Some knowledge of research methods and design * An ability to work, live and communicate well with others * Enthusiasm and dedication to work long days (sometimes 12 hours or more) in the field or lab. In order to formally apply for an internship: please send a curriculum vitae or resume, a cover letter detailing your reason(s) for applying, one letter of reference, and an updated transcript. Please note: a paper application form is not necessary. Once your application has been received, an interview will be arranged. Application materials and questions regarding the internship should be directed to the intern coordinator: Cara Pekarcik The Whale Center of New England P.O. Box 159 Gloucester, MA 01930 978-281-6351 (vox) 978-281-5666 (fax) cara@whalecenter.org www.whalecenter.org/intern.htm