Participate in the Fin Whale Project 2024!
The partcipants can join as a research intern with a minimum stay of 3 months or in our Research Assistant Course with a duration of 1 to 4 weeks (see details below).
The internships will run from February to September 2024, majorly on the research catamaran, and requires preparation time. We are especially interested in master students looking to undertake a masters research project. Priority will be given to those interns committed for at least the Spring three months (March to end of May).
The Fin Whale Project is a long-term research project carried out by the EDMAKTUB Association, a research non-profit organization. It is focused on the study of fin whales in the Catalan coast and on their migration towards the Atlantic. The main goals of the project are to increase the knowledge of the fin whales around the Spanish peninsula, work with new technologies (such as drones and/or thermal cameras and artificial intelligence) to improve the cetacean monitoring techniques, and also work for fin whale conservation and divulgation. Performing those objectives the Fin Whale Project turned out as a pioneer project in the use of drones to study cetaceans, which has allowed us to develop a new identification technique much more efficient and reliable. It has also been the key to identify this and other areas as a fin whale feeding ground.
The field work will be performed in the Catalan coast, primarily between Barcelona and Tarragona, northeastern Spain in Spring. Then, it will continue in Denia, eastern Spain in June, Strait of Gibraltar in July and Galicia NW Spain in August and September.
Researcher Interns
For the 2024 Fin Whale Project, we are looking for research interns to complete the team. The positions are unpaid and a minimum of three months is required in order to be considered. Interns must cover their accommodation and living expenses. EDMAKTUB offers an apartment in which a room can be rented (low rate). The positions will be assigned as soon as possible. Priority will be given to those having photo ID experience and a long period availability.
We currently have several research interests and priorities. One of our main priorities is people committed to photo-identification; taking and processing the images and updating the catalogue. Besides conventional photo-identification the researchers will also participate in the drone photo-identification catalogue, which already have more than 400 individuals. Moreover, we are also focused on oceanography (related to fin whale distribution and possible implications of climate change), behavior (descriptive, social, feeding, travelling, reactions, ...), marine traffic (what is the situation and how to minimize the risk), marine pollution (specially focused on macro and microplastics), plankton (using the echosounder, determining the different species presence and distribution) and animal health (using camera and drone footage to asses animal health and study morphometrics). We would also love projects in collaboration with the local fishermen, or drone images related studies. Everything is open for discussion. In addition to research projects, we are looking for interns that can help us with social media, marketing, grant writing and website building.
Qualifications
- Must be currently enrolled in or recently graduated from an accredited college or university; preference will be given to students working towards biology, environmental studies, marine science, veterinary medicine, education, mathematics, artificial intelligence, or other related fields. If you do not fit this profile but think you can contribute anyway, please contact us.
- Must demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Must be dedicated, flexible, responsible, hardworking, willing to learn, and have attention to detail. Interest or experience in the Spanish and Catalan languages are preferred.
- Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
- Must be willing to engage in a positive and informative manner with the general public regularly.
- Must expect to work on a full-time basis, which can include early morning and late nights.
- Must be living close by the Garraf area or willing to relocate to Villanova I la Geltrú.
What is expected from you?
- Preparation of your research line to start research while starting the
Fin Whale Project fieldwork. - Daily participation in the 2024 marine surveys of the Fin Whale Project.
- Responsibility for the tasks associated with your research line as well as willingness to assist in tasks related to other lines of research.
- Involvement in several tasks that are part of running an association (general data entry, fundraising, marketing/social media, communication, educational events and talks).
- At the end of the internship, the intern will deliver a written report regarding the work carried out and a presentation about their experience and projects to staff and volunteers.
What do you get?
- Knowledge on different cetacean research techniques and methodology.
- The possibility to establish your research in the form of master’s research project and/or an article for publication.
- To go sailing out to sea together with a team of motivated people, studying one of the most majestical animals that exist.
- Guidance through your project and feedback on your research.
- A platform in which to gain experience in the field study of cetaceans and an entry to the broad scientific and professional network of Edmaktub.
Please be conscious that daily ocean surveys can be physically challenging and require a strong will and motivation. We value strong collaborative skills, a positive attitude, and a willingness to help others to learn. We appreciate our interns and take good care of each other. Do you think you are a good fit for the team? We would love to hear from you and get in touch as soon as possible.
How to apply? Send your resume and a cover letter including your research interests regarding this project to info@edmaktub.org or click in the tab and fill in the form
Research Assistant Course
This course is for graduates and undergraduate students interested on cetaceans research as well as for people wishing to acquire practical experience in the field study of cetaceans and oceanographic research.
Number of positions available: 20 | Participating period: between 1 to 4 weeks to choose from March to September.
What do you get?
- The chance to participate in all the activities developed by the Fin Whale Project during your stay of the program, especially in daily whale monitoring and observation.
- Training and practical experience in the field of cetacean study. With both theoretical and practical lessons in the different research fields performed by our researchers.
- Share knowledge and experience with the research members of the Fin Whale Project, a multicultural team with different researchers coming from different disciplines and backgrounds.
- The opportunity of spending quality time at sea observing cetaceans in the rich environment of the coast of Barcelona (Garraf Coast).
What do we ask in return?
To collaborate financially to the project with a donation that ranges between 900 to 1500 euros depending on the number of weeks of the course. This contribution covers accommodation and meals as well as the material needed for the course and the surveys.
