Tired of dolphins and manatees? A summer marine mammal field course on the Washington coast might be the solution. This May, Florida Tech will be taking a group of motivated students to Friday Harbor Laboratories in the San Juan Islands to observe and study marine mammals in their natural environment. The course earns you 3 credits that count toward your degree either at the undergraduate or graduate level. Course description: Students will learn the methods, equipment and concepts that many wildlife field biologists use as a daily part of their job, and will participate in an existing research program. Daytime activities will consist primarily of boat-based and land-based surveys of harbor seals, sea lions, killer whales and baleen whales common to the Salish Sea ecosystem. By the end of the course, the students will be trained in digital photography, boat handling, behavioral/spatial data collection, and other practical skills commonly required for a career in wildlife biology. Evening lectures and other activities will provide theoretical knowledge of important aspects of marine mammal behavior, physiology and anatomy, as well as lectures from local experts in the field (plus a demonstration of an animal necropsy!). During the course, students will also develop their own research project and become familiar with how raw data is translated into results that affect marine mammal conservation policy. Course title: Marine Mammal Studies in the Pacific Northwest (MAR3621/MAR5621) Institution: Florida Institute of Technology Instructor: Spencer Fire (sfire@fit.edu<mailto:sfire@fit.edu>) Dates: May 6-15, 2019 Location: Friday Harbor, WA and adjacent coastal waters Course cost: Enrolling in the course as a summer student at Florida Tech ($3600; 3 credits of tuition) covers all travel expenses, lodging, meals, field costs, and an occasional cookie. Must have a valid U.S. Passport (students may fly into Victoria, BC) Must be physically fit/able to swim Please contact Dr. Fire directly for more information and to sign up for the course. Check out our Instagram feed<https://www.instagram.com/thefirelab/> (www.instagram.com/thefirelab/) for photos from last year's course!