National Research Council Research Associateship

The Marine Mammal Commission and National Research Council announce a new program for Postdoctoral Awards (i.e., NRC Research Associateships). The Commission is seeking creative, forward-looking scientists to address major challenges in marine mammal and marine ecosystem conservation. Opportunities exist to work at the interface between research, management, and policy decisions regarding critical marine mammal conservation issues. The Commission is seeking proposals for postdoctoral research on the following topics:

The Effects of Climate Change on Arctic Marine Mammals

Climate change is expected to have potentially profound effects on populations of arctic marine mammals, primarily through changes in sea ice habitat and increased human activities secondary to sea ice recession. Identifying the effects of such changes on marine mammals will require effective long-term, science-based monitoring strategies. The Commission seeks to develop a science-based monitoring strategy that could guide assessment of the effects of climate change on arctic marine mammals.

Indicators of Ecosystem Health for Marine Ecosystems

For the past decade, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on shifting existing research and management strategies from a focus on single species to a broader focus on ecosystems. The requirements for making such a shift have been daunting—in part due to uncertainty about how to assess whole ecosystems and what constitutes “ecosystem health.” The Marine Mammal Commission seeks to conduct a review of ecosystem-based science and management, with particular focus on identification of indicators of ecosystem health for the coastal and marine environment.

Marine Mammal Stock Assessment under the Marine Mammal Protection Act

The Marine Mammal Protection Act establishes a science-based stock assessment program for all marine mammal stocks under US jurisdiction. The initial intent of the program was to characterize the numbers of marine mammals killed in US fisheries and determine the effects of that mortality on marine mammal populations. The Commission seeks to conduct a science-based review of the efficacy of current stock assessment efforts. The results are intended to identify areas where the stock assessment program is working well and areas where additional improvements are needed.

The Efficacy of Marine Protected Areas in Marine Mammal Conservation

A wide variety of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established in U.S. waters and throughout the world’s oceans; these MPAs vary widely in terms of size, purpose (i.e., why the MPA was created), and protections offered. The efficacy of MPAs, individually and collectively, in protecting habitat and promoting the conservation of marine mammals and ecosystems is unclear. The Commission seeks to conduct a thorough review of current MPAs and their effectiveness in protecting marine mammal habitat and contributing to the conservation and recovery of marine mammals. Such a review should lead to recommendations regarding improvements to current MPAs and the design of future MPAs to enhance marine mammal conservation.

Assessment of Cumulative Effects of Human Activities and Natural Stressors on Marine Mammals

Marine mammal populations often are faced with a variety of threats, including both natural stressors and the impacts of human activities. In many cases, marine mammal populations are affected by multiple human activities, such as removal of prey and direct injuries or fatalities caused by commercial and recreational fishing; habitat degradation caused by coastal development; entanglement in marine debris from terrestrial and marine sources; and exposure to pollutants and contaminants from any number of sources. The cumulative effects of such activities are difficult to assess, as are the long-term effects of continued exposure to individual threats. The Commission seeks to develop and test a statistical framework for assessing the cumulative and long-term effects of human activities on marine mammal populations.

Co-management of Marine Mammals in Alaska

Section 119 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act allows federal agencies to enter into cooperative agreements with Alaska native organizations to conserve marine mammals and co-manage subsistence use of marine mammals by Alaska Natives. It has been more than 10 years since section 119 was passed, and considerable progress has been made on development of co-management strategies. The Commission seeks to conduct a review of progress with respect to co-management, and to develop recommendations regarding possible improvements to co-management agreements and strategies.

Instructions for Interested Candidates

Interested candidates should submit a 1-2 page resume describing their relevant education and experience and a 1-2 page pre-proposal providing a brief overview of the research they would like to conduct relevant to one of the topics identified above. The Commission will review submitted materials and contact promising candidates to further discuss their research interests and, as appropriate, provide guidance on developing applications to the NRC Research Associateship Program. The Commission anticipates selecting only one Research Associate.

Candidates are encouraged to review the Commission’s workshop report entitled “Future Directions in Marine Mammal Research” as well as recent Commission annual reports and letters as they develop their pre-proposals.

Interested candidates should submit resumes and pre-proposals in MS Word, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF formats by 15 June 2007 to Michael A. Simpkins, Ph.D., Assistant Scientific Program Director, email address msimpkins@mmc.gov.

Research Associateship awards offer competitive stipends for 1 year with potential renewal for a total of 3 years maximum. This program is open to foreign nationals as well as U.S. citizens. Applications must be submitted online directly to the National Research Council. Annual application deadlines are February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1. Further program information, including instructions on how to apply, can be found on the National Research Council web site. Questions about the research topics or proposal submission process can be directed to Dr. Simpkins via email (msimpkins@mmc.gov) or telephone (301-504-0087). Questions regarding the NRC Research Associateship Program can be directed to NRC staff via email (rap@nas.edu) or telephone (202-334-2760).

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