The Marine Mammal Institute does much more than research. We develop resourceful graduate students who become successful professionals in state and federal government, academia, and research.
Pictured here: PhD student Lisa Hildebrand teaches undergraduate students in Renee Albertson's Biology of Marine Mammals summer course how to track gray whales using a theodolite.Marine Mammal Institute faculty hold academic appointments in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Questions about applying to academic programs should be directed to the department, college, or Graduate School.
The Marine Mammal Institute is located at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. If you are a prospective student who would like to schedule a tour of HMSC, please visit the Tours and Events page for details.
The following Marine Mammal Institute faculty may be taking on new graduate students. To inquire about graduate or postdoctoral mentorship, please contact the professor directly with your letter of interest and curriculum vitae (CV).
C. Scott Baker |
Scott Baker is a professor of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences and the head of the Cetacean Conservation and Genomics Laboratory. Dr. Baker is broadly interested in the evolutionary and ecological pattern and process in whales and dolphins, including their abundance, population structure, genetic diversity, and systematic relationships. He is particularly interested in projects that bring together both molecular and demographic approaches to improve the conservation of these species. |
Leigh Torres |
Leigh Torres is an associate professor with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences and Oregon Sea Grant. Dr. Torres is a marine mammal behavioral ecologist and Sea Grant Extension specialist, who focuses on spatial and behavioral ecology and conservation. She leads the Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory. Potential graduate students are encouraged to review her Letter to Prospective Graduate Students. |
Daniel Palacios |
Daniel Palacios is an associate professor with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. Dr. Palacios leads the Whale Habitat, Ecology & Telemetry Lab, and his interests are quantitative ecology as applied to habitat characterization, animal movement, risk mitigation, and informing management practices. Potential applicants interested in joining his lab are encouraged to review his Letter to Prospective Applicants. |
Kate Stafford |
Kate Stafford is an associate professor with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences and Marine Studies Initiative. She leads the Marine Mammal Bioacoustics and Ecology Laboratory. Dr. Stafford's research focuses on using passive acoustic monitoring to examine migratory movements, geographic variation, and physical drivers of marine mammals, particularly large whales. Potential graduate students are encouraged to read her Letter to Prospective Applicants. They may send a letter of interest and CV to Dr. Stafford by emailing staffoka@oregonstate.edu. |
Mauricio Cantor |
Mauricio Cantor is an assistant professor with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences and Marine Studies Initiative and head of the Lab for Animal Behavioral Interaction Research. The lab's focus is on behavioral ecology and its intersections with human dimensions. Prospective postdoctoral researchers and graduate students are encouraged to visit the lab website and read his Letter to Prospective Lab Members. Letters of interest and CV can be sent directly Dr. Cantor at mauricio.cantor@oregonstate.edu. |
Joshua Stewart |
Joshua Stewart is an assistant professor with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences and Marine Studies Initiative. He is a quantitative ecologist whose interests span animal movement, trophic ecology, and population dynamics with an emphasis on marine mammals and threatened marine megafauna. Dr. Stewart leads the Ocean Ecology Laboratory. A major focus of his work is using advanced models to describe population dynamics and ecological processes. He has a strong interest in applied science, collaborating with stakeholders and managers, and applying research findings directly to management and conservation with input from resource users. |
John Durban |
John Durban is a courtesy associate professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences and an affiliate at the Marine Mammal Institute. Dr. Durban's primary research involves combining photographic mark–recapture for population assessment with drone-derived photogrammetry to monitor individual whale health. He conducts research on cetacean species, with particular focus on killer whales in Alaska, Antarctica, and the Pacific Northwest. Potential graduate students may email a letter of interest and CV to Dr. Durban at john.durban@oregonstate.edu. |
Term: Spring
Location: Hybrid
Instructor: Renee Albertson
Course Description: Introduces first- and second-year undergraduates, teachers and non-degree students to the breadth of marine science course offerings and research at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center located in Newport, Oregon. Using an experiential-based format, students collect field data to better understand marine mammals (whales, dolphins and porpoises), seabirds, and their interactions with their environment.
Term & Location: Summer (HMSC); Fall, Winter, Spring (Ecampus)
Instructor: Renee Albertson / Kate Stafford
Course Description: An examination of the biology of whales, pinnipeds, and other marine mammals, including general adaptations to a marine existence; systematics and biogeography; reproduction; diving physiology; communication and echolocation; feeding and migratory behavior; and marine mammal/human interactions; including conservation issues. Taught at Hatfield Marine Science Center or online through Ecampus.
Term & Location: Spring (Ecampus); Summer (HMSC)
Instructor: Rachael Orben
Course Description: Marine and estuarine birds are highly diverse and differ in many ways from more familiar terrestrial species. For example, many seabirds have life histories that are more similar to much larger animals and a number of physiological and behavioral adaptations for the marine environment, including diving capabilities in many species. Through lecture, field, and laboratory experiences, students will gain detailed knowledge of the biology and ecology of marine and estuarine birds. This course will focus on how marine birds are adapted for life at sea, their morphology, physiology, foraging ecology and biogeography as well as covering topics in introductory oceanography and conservation. The course will include lecture, class discussion, field trips and sampling, lab exercises, data interpretation, class presentations and projects.
Term: Winter, Spring, Fall
Location: Ecampus
Instructor: Renee Albertson
Course Description: A foundational course in preparation for a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife or other degrees focused on conservation of natural resources. Covers a broad range of topics associated with issues surrounding genetics that working professionals in the biological sciences should be conversant about. One of the most important aspects of the course is the development of problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Term: Fall / Winter
Location: HMSC / Ecampus
Instructor: Scott Baker / Renee Albertson
Course Description: During the last 200 years, whaling expanded into a global industry, systematically driving most populations of baleen whales (suborder Mysticeti) and some larger toothed whales (suborder Odontoceti) to near extinction. This nearly eliminated an entire trophic level of the marine ecosystem, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. Although viewed by some as a relic of the past, whaling remains a strong imperative for some native people and national interests. This course addresses the natural history of whales as a unique example of adaptation in an evolutionary lineage and the history of whaling as a general example of the failings of international resource management.
Term: Fall
Location: HMSC
Instructor: Mauricio Cantor
Course Description: Examines how the social lives of animals contributes to solving fundamental life challenges—eat and reproduce while not being eaten—from an evolutionary and ecological perspective with specific emphasis on marine vertebrates (cetaceans, pinnipeds, elasmobranchs). Explores fundamental concepts of behavioral ecology to examine how group living shape animal societies in terms of structure, organization and mating systems. Combines lectures, groups discussions, field activities, and data analyses on animal societies.
Term: Winter
Location: Ecampus
Instructor: Renee Albertson
Course Description: Explores the history, geology, climate, and ecosystems of Antarctica, with an emphasis on current research and conservation issues. Focuses on critical thinking skills developed through independent research on a topic of interest, an internal peer review project, and discussions of relevant case studies in Antarctic research.
Term: Fall
Location: Ecampus / HMSC
Instructor: Renee Albertson
Course Description: An in-depth study of marine megafauna (mammals, birds, turtles) with an emphasis on methods and analyses of behavior and physiology for conservation. Lab and field exercises include investigations into the behavior–physiology nexus of diving, migration, thermoregulation, energy expenditure, and mating systems. Research techniques to be explored will include, for example, tracking and remote biotelemetry monitoring technologies, respirometry, genetics, and direct field study observation. Theoretical approaches, field techniques and statistical analyses will help prepare students for a career in fisheries or wildlife science.
Internships are generally crafted on an individual basis and are dependent on funding and other factors. If you are a student interested in interning, volunteering, or temporary work with the Marine Mammal Institute, please review the Principal Investigators (PI) and their research on our web pages. When you identify an alignment in your interests and an MMI research project, please contact the specific PI directly with your curriculum vitae and letter of interest.
Marine Mammal Institute faculty often participate in the Hatfield Marine Science Center Research Experiences for Undergraduates summer internship program, which is open to undergraduate students from domestic institutions.
MMI faculty may also participate in internships for OSU students through the OSU Marine Studies Initiative.
Information about insurance coverage during internships can be found on the OSU Insurance and Risk Management Services website.
For other student internship opportunities, visit the following links:
