[ECOLOG-L] Diversity scholarship for early career elasmobranch scientists open until 11/16
The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional society devoted to the scientific study and management of sharks and their relatives, is pleased to announce that we are taking applications for the 4th year of our Young Professional Recruitment Fund diversity scholarship! The scholarship is open to early career scientists and managers from historically underrepresented minority groups and/or those who work in the developing world who have not yet been an AES member. It provides a year of AES membership along with specialized networking, mentorship, and professional development training. Applications are open until Friday, November 16th. Please help spread the word to interested and eligible candidates, and please let us know if you have any questions! More information, including eligibility rules and a link to the application, can be found at the link below. http://elasmo.org/blog/applications-now-open-2019-yprf-diversity-scholarship?fbclid=IwAR1BtwL48TVrIlM84L3QYhzZMbf5t7NPnyZFrPwaqQG5pUbWAANqxBOBeBo Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] [POTENTIAL JUNK MAIL] New blog post: 5 experts react to Canada's new marine protected area plan
http://www.southernfriedscience.com/canada-announced-new-marine-protected-area-standards-heres-how-science-and-conservation-professionals-reacted/ -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Diversity scholarship for chondrichthyan research society membership: Applications due November 16th!
Hello, everyone! The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional society devoted to the scientific study and management of sharks and their relatives, is pleased to announce that we are taking applications for the 4th year of our Young Professional Recruitment Fund diversity scholarship! The scholarship is open to early career scientists and managers from historically underrepresented minority groups and/or those who work in the developing world who have not yet been an AES member. It provides a year of AES membership along with specialized networking, mentorship, and professional development training. Applications are open until Friday, November 16th. Please help spread the word to interested and eligible candidates! Eligibility rules and application instructions here: http://elasmo.org/blog/applications-now-open-2019-yprf-diversity-scholarship And if any representatives of other professional societies would like to chat with me about the YPRF model and how it can be adapted to your organization, I'm happy to help. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] New paper: How fisheries scientists can use social media for public outreach, and why you should (principles apply to any discipline of science)
Hello, everyone! I have a new paper out today in Fisheries. It's all about the benefits of social media tools for experts who want to engage in public education and outreach. While the focus on fisheries science and management, the principles described apply to any discipline in science. The paper also includes a for-true-beginners guide to getting started using twitter, Facebook (groups and pages,) and blogs. It highlights examples of scientists, journals, agencies, non-profits, and universities that do a good job using these tools. The paper can be found here https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsh.10031 If anyone is already *on* twitter, I have a thread highlighting examples from the paper starting here: https://twitter.com/WhySharksMatter/status/986271587203670016 Please share with interested colleagues. .PDF available upon request if you do not have access to Fisheries. I'm always happy to answer any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] New paper: first evidence of shark nursery area expansion due to rising ocean temperatures
Hello! I am excited to get to share with you a new paper, published today in Scientific Reports (I'm a coauthor, lead author is Dr. Charles Bangley of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center). We show evidence that bull sharks are now regularly using coastal North Carolina waters as a nursery area, when they only very rarely did before the last few years! The change is strongly correlated with rising ocean temperatures- previously the northernmost bull shark nursery area was North Florida. While polewards range expansions as a result of changing environmental temperature is a well-documented phenomenon, this is the first-ever case of this happening with a large (and potentially dangerous) shark species in the United States. The implications for the local coastal ecosystem, and for local human-wildlife interactions, are huge! The paper is available open access here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-24510-z A blog post/press release explaining it is available here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/is-a-changing-environment-bringing-baby-bull-sharks-to-north-carolina/ Please share with interested colleagues. Thank you! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] New blog post- Canada proposed revisions to the Fish eries Act. Here’s how science and conservation experts rea cted
http://www.southernfriedscience.com/canada-proposed-revisions-to-the-fisheries-act-heres-how-science-and-conservation-experts-reacted/ -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] OceansOnline is now accepting abstracts! Join this marine science and conservation communication event!
OceansOnline is now accepting abstracts, as is the rest of IMCC: the International Marine Conservation Congress! This year, this interdisciplinary marine conservation meeting will be held in Kuching, Malaysia! I'll be running OceansOnline, an optional add-on day focusing on using online tools for marine science and conservation education, collaboration, and research! It's suitable for beginners or advanced users, and open to anyone including scientists, conservation advocates, educators, journalists, and communicators! Want to lead a discussion about these topics at OceansOnline? Submit an abstract following the information in this link. Want to present your marine conservation research at IMCC5? This link has info for you, too! Please let me know if anyone has any questions. And please help us spread the word by telling interested colleagues and labmates! More info, including links, here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/oceansonline-is-now-accepting-abstracts-lead-a-discussion-teach-a-skill-and-join-us/ Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Blog post on sexual harassment in marine science
Hello, everyone. Dr. Lisa Whitenack has written an important post on sexual harassment in marine science. This stuff doesn't just happen in Hollywood or in the world of politics, and we can and must do more to stop it. The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/speaking-out-about-sexual-harassment-in-shark-science/ Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Diversity in elasmobranch science scholarship- ten days left to apply!
The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional society focusing on the scientific study and management of sharks and the relatives, is accepting applications for our Young Professional Recruitment Fund scholarship until November 17th. The YPRF scholarship is open to early career researchers from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Awardees will be given one complimentary year of Society membership, along with specialized networking, mentorship, and professional development. Eligibility rules, including a link to the scholarship application, can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/applications-now-open-for-the-2018-yprf-diversity-in-elasmobranch-science-scholarship/ Please spread the word to interested colleagues, and please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Diversity in elasmobranch research scholarship: applications now open
Hello, everyone! The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional research society focusing on the science and management of sharks and their relatives, is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2018 Young Professional Recruitment Fund diversity scholarship. This scholarship provides one year of Society membership to early career elasmobranch researchers from historically underrepresented minority groups. It also provides specialized networking, mentorship, and professional development in partnership with MinorityPostdoc.org, an organization specializing in increasing diversity in the sciences. Applications are due Friday November 17th. For details, including eligibility rules and a link to the application, please see here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/applications-now-open-for-the-2018-yprf-diversity-in-elasmobranch-science-scholarship/ Please forward to any interested colleagues, students, or classmates, and please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] New paper identifies illegal shark fishing using angler discussion forums
Hello, everyone! I have a new paper out in Fisheries Research that may interest some of you. I analyzed posts on an online discussion forum used by shark anglers in Florida, a method that can reveal the presence of behaviors or attitudes within a population, but not how common those attitudes are. The paper can be found here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016578361730214X A blog post explaining the background issues, including a link to an open access author copy, can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/background-information-on-our-land-based-shark-fishing-paper/ I found: -Many (a minimum of 389) cases of illegal fishing for protected species, including cases where the anglers themselves knew it was illegal and discussed ways to avoid getting caught or ways to avoid getting in trouble if caught; -The introduction of new laws requiring the release of hammerhead and tiger sharks in Florida had no effect on reported handling or release practices of shark anglers; -Recreational shark anglers in Florida agree that shark populations have declined significantly, but believe that their own practices play no role in this and should not be regulated (i.e., there is a problem, but the problem is someone else, not me); -Land-based anglers (those who fish from a beach or pier instead of a boat) had mixed attitudes towards science and scientists, supported restrictions on commercial fishing in the name of conservation, opposed any restrictions on their own activities, and had negative attitudes towards conservationists despite sharing similar goals; - Land-based shark fishing has the potential to introduce much more stress to sharks as they are dragged over rough terrain while lacking the buoyant support of water, which means that even if sharks are released, they are less likely to survive if handled this way; -Land based anglers self-identify as relatively young, male, and low-income compared to other angler groups, and perceive themselves as having little political power compared to other Florida stakeholders, potentially contributing to lack of buy-in to fishing regulations. -For the last several years, more large (non-Dogfish) sharks in the United States have been killed by recreational anglers than by commercial fishermen Please feel free to share with interested colleagues, and please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Save the date: OceansOnline returns June 29th, 2018
Hello, everyone! I am excited to officially announce the return of OceansOnline! This full day event will focus on how ocean scientists, conservationists, and educators can use internet tools for research, collaboration, and public outreach! It is associated with the International Marine Conservation Congress, which will be in Kuching, Malaysia! I hope to see you there on June 29th, 2018. More info can be found in this blog post. Please spread the word to interested colleagues, and please let me know if you have any questions. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/save-the-date-oceansonline-is-back-in-2018/ Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman, Ph.D. * Marine Conservation Biologist and Science Writer Liber Ero Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Elasmobranch Society diversity initiative applications due 11/15
There's just over one week left to apply for the Elasmobranch Society diversity in marine science initiative! The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional society focusing on the scientific study of sharks and their relatives, is now accepting applications for the 2nd year of our diversity initiative. Awardees will be given one complimentary year of Society membership, as well as specialized professional development training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. For more details, including eligibility rules and a link to the application, please see the link below. Please share with interested colleagues/students/labmates, and please let us know if you have any questions! http://www.southernfriedscience.com/applications-now-open-for-the-elasmobranch-societys-diversity-in-marine-science-initiative/ Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> *w: **Lab website <http://sharktagging.com> * | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Applications now open for Elasmobranch Society Diversity in Science Initiative
Hello, everyone! There's still time to apply for the Elasmobranch Society diversity in marine science initiative! The American Elasmobranch Society, the world’s oldest and largest professional society focusing on the scientific study of sharks and their relatives, is accepting applications for the 2nd year of our diversity initiative until November 15th. Awardees will be given one year of Society membership, in addition to specialized professional development training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. For more details, including eligibility and a link to the application, please see the link below. Please share with interested colleagues/students/labmates, and please let us know if you have any questions. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/applications-now-open-for-the-elasmobranch-societys-diversity-in-marine-science-initiative/ Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> *w: **Lab website <http://sharktagging.com> * | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Applications now open for the Elasmobranch Society ’s diversity in marine science initiative
The American Elasmobranch Society, the world’s oldest and largest professional society focusing on the scientific study of sharks and their relatives, is now accepting applications for the 2nd year of our Young Professional Recruitment Fund diversity initiative. Awardees will be given one year of Society membership, in addition to specialized professional development training, mentorship, and networking opportunities specific to their needs as scientists and professionals from developing nations or historically underrepresented minority groups. Applications are due November 15th. For more details, including eligibility and a link to the application, please see the link below: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/applications-now-open-for-the-elasmobranch-societys-diversity-in-marine-science-initiative/ Please share with interested colleagues, and please let us know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> *w: **Lab website <http://sharktagging.com> * | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Guest blog post on conservation issues facing the longest-lived vertebrate, the Greenland shark
Hello, everyone! Last week, a paper in Science showed that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth, with a life span of centuries. They may not reach reproductive maturity until they're more than 150 years old. This life history makes them exceptionally vulnerable to overfishing. Shark conservation expert Sonja Fordham has written a detailed blog post outlining the threats facing Greenland sharks and what can be done to protect them. That blog post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/what-can-be-done-to-protect-the-incredibly-long-lived-greenland-shark/ Please share with interested colleagues. Thank you! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> *w: **Lab website <http://sharktagging.com> * | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] Abstracts now open for American Elasmobranch Society 2016 meeting (Including biology and conservation of sawfish symposium)
Hello! The 2016 American Elasmobranch Society conference is now accepting abstracts. This meeting will be July 6-10 in New Orleans, as part of the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. This year, the featured symposium will be "the biology, ecology and conservation of sawfish". If you would like to submit an abstract to the meeting, the link is: https://asih.conference-services.net/authorlogin.asp?conferenceID=4943&language=en-uk Thanks! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/> *w: **Lab website <http://sharktagging.com> * | *cv:* *Online CV <http://DavidShiffmanCV.com>*
[ECOLOG-L] OceansOnline conference add-on will focus on how internet tools can help marine scientists and conservationists
Next summer's International Marine Conservation Congress (July 30-August 3, St. John's Canada) will include an optional full day add-on called OceansOnline. This will focus on how social media and other internet tools can help marine scientists and conservation professionals with research, collaboration, and public outreach. OceansOnline is suitable for total beginners who want to learn how to use these tools, as well as for advanced users who want to learn much more about their applications. Scientists and professionals who are advanced users of internet tools are encouraged to attend this meeting even if ocean conservation biology is not your primary research specialty. The International Marine Conservation Congress itself is an interdisciplinary conference run by the Society for Conservation Biology's marine section, and it is very student-friendly and great for networking. If you wish to submit a proposal for a 1.5 hour workshop, a 15-30 minute presentation, or a 1 hour panel discussion, please do so by November 15th. More details, including a link to submit proposals, can be found at this post: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=19017 Please consider submitting a proposal, and please spread the word! I am happy to answer any questions that anyone has about the meeting. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New blog post. Politely optimistic: what do Canada's election results mean for ocean science and conservation?
http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=19015 -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Free Elasmobranch Society Memberships to historically underrepresented minority scientists
The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional society focusing on the scientific study and management of sharks and rays, has announced a new diversity initiative. We are offering free one-year memberships, along with specialized mentorship, networking, and professional development training, to early career scientists and professionals from historically underrepresented minority groups or from developing nations. If you qualify, please apply! If you know someone who might qualify, please help us by spreading the word! More information on the program, including a link to the application, can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18871 Thank you! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] American Elasmobranch Society diversity initiative: ready for applications!
Hello, everyone! The American Elasmobranch Society, the world's oldest and largest professional society devoted to professional research and management of sharks and rays, is now ready to receive applications for our new diversity initiative. Awardees will receive one year of Society membership, along with professional development training, mentorship, and networking specific to their needs as international or underrepresented minority scientists and professionals. To qualify, applicants must fill out the application below and demonstrate that they: A) Have a demonstrated professional interest in the scientific study or management of elasmobranch fishes; and B) Be an undergraduate or graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, or early career scientist or management professional within 5 years of earning their degree; and C) Be a representative of a historically underrepresented group in marine science (including ethnic/racial minorities and women), and/or perform your research in a developing nation. Applications are due by Monday, November 16th. More information about this initiative and the application can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18871 The application itself can be found here: https://minoritypostdoc.wufoo.com/forms/q35ix4817t42it/ Please share with any interested colleagues! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Tweets from the American Elasmobranch Society conference
Hello, everyone! The American Elasmobranch Society has just completed our annual conference. I have organized many of the live-tweets into Storify transcripts, which are easily viewable by anyone even if you are unfamiliar with twitter. Each topic has it's own Storify transcript (e.g. Conservation and Management, Reproduction and Genetics, Ecology, etc). This will allow interested scientists who were not present at the meeting to learn some of the information that was shared by our presenters. The links can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18653 The post also includes basic statistics and analysis about the reach of these tweets. Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] American Elasmobranch Society announces new initiative to promote diversity in marine science
At our annual conference this morning, the American Elasmobranch Society announced a new initiative to increase diversity in marine science. The new Young Professional Recruitment Fund will cover the costs of one year of membership for students, postdocs, and early career professionals from developing countries and from historically underrepresented minority groups. It will also provide these scientists with specialized professional development training, mentorship, and networking. Please help us to spread the word to any marine scientists who would qualify for this new program. A link with more information can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18647 Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New blog post: does Shark Week portrayal of sharks matter?
Hello, everyone! Shark Week, the Discovery Channel's long-running week of shark-themed documentaries, begins on July 5th. Many marine scientists and conservationists, including myself, have been critical of the fearmongering tone and pseudoscientific content in recent years. In a new blog post, I've summarized the evidence from (and interviewed the authors of) 3 recent scientific papers showing that media coverage of sharks, including Shark Week documentaries, is a significant factor influencing public support for their conservation. If you get a chance, please consider reading the blog post and sharing it, and please let me know what you think (please either comment on the post itself or reply to me directly rather than "reply all"). Thanks, all! The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18302 Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] How to write and publish a scientific paper
Hello, everyone! I turned a recent intern training/ professional development workshop on "how to write and publish a scientific paper in marine ecology and conservation" into a blog post so that others can benefit from the resource. It is designed for beginning graduate students and advanced undergraduates. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18236 This post includes tips ranging from title selection to choosing the appropriate journal to how to actually upload your paper to a journal submission site. Examples are provided throughout. There are many strategies for each of these tasks, and I've shared here the ones that work well for me personally. There are other strategies and students should seek them out to figure out what works best for you. Please let me know what you think, feel free to suggest alternative strategies in the comments section of the blog! And please share with students who you think may be interested. Thanks, all! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New paper: trophy fishing for species threatened with extinction
Hello, everyone! I wanted to bring your attention to a new paper from our lab that may be of interest. It's about trophy fishing for IUCN Red List Threatened species, and why we believe this practice should be stopped. Please read and share, and please let me know if you have any questions. Official version of the paper: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X14001754 Open-access version of the paper: http://rjd.miami.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Shiffman-et-al_Mar-Pol_2014.pdf Official press release: http://www.miami.edu/index.php/news/releases/study_analyzed_conservation_status_of_trophy_fish/ Blog post containing background information on the issues presented in the paper: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=17469 Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Tweets from the Sharks International conference
Hello, everyone! I've just returned from Sharks International, a once-every-4-years scientific conference for elasmobranch researchers from all over the world. Nearly 300 researchers from 38 countries attended the meeting to share their research, and thanks to social media, we were able to share the amazing scientific discoveries and important conservation policy changes with people all over the world. I've organized the conference tweets by day and by topic so that even people who don't use twitter can share in the knowledge. An organized list of these conference tweets can be found at this blog post: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=17250 I am happy to either attempt to answer any serious question about the research presented at the conference, or to ask someone who does know the answer to respond- just leave a comment on the blog post. I will NOT respond to further harassment of scientist attendees or uninformed rants about the nature of the conference, and anyone who attempts to leave such a comment on this blog post will be banned from commenting for the future. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New blog post: Environmental reasons to oppose a new inter-ocean canal across Nicaragua
Nicaragua is considering building a new inter-ocean canal. In this new blog post, environmental and ecological reasons to oppose this construction are outlined. Feedback is welcome. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=17207 Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] 2 blog post responses to a Science perspectives piece opposing scientific collections
Last week, a "perspectives" piece entitled "Avoiding (Re)extinction" was published in Science. It argued that scientists should no longer collect specimens, but should use photographs. 2 different blogs have responded to this. 1) (Re)affirming the specimen gold standard, by ornithologists http://www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/reaffirming-the-specimen-gold-standard/ 2) Collecting organisms to save their species, by an ichthyologists http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=16957 Please read and share! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] 4th SciFund challenge launches! Help support ecology research
hin fisheries. Understanding how a FIP in the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery is utilizing guidelines for FIPs credibly moving towards sustainability will start to provide insight into this new tool for sustainability. 12) Discovering Backyard Biodiversity in South Dakota. Amanda Bachmann, South Dakota State University. https://experiment.com/projects/discovering-backyard-biodiversity-in-south-dakota How can we improve conditions for pollinating insects if we don't know who's out there? My project uses citizen science to monitor pollinator and beneficial insect activity in South Dakota backyards to increase understanding and awareness of these insects in the state. A list of all the SciFund projects can be found here: https://experiment.com/institutions/scifund Thanks in advance for your help! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New research: 1/4 of world's sharks, rays and chimaeras threatened with extinction
A landmark new paper released today shows that 1/4 of the world's chondrichthyan fishers are threatened with extinction. The paper is available here: (open access) http://elife.elifesciences.org/content/3/e00590 Official press release: http://www.iucn.org/?14311 Video abstract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z-JfpDmLdw Media resources, including lots of photos of threatened species: http://www.dulvy.com/iucn-media-resources.html Infographic: https://cmsdata.iucn.org/custom/image-viewer/launch.cfm?img_id=34683 Blog post: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=16365 -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New blog post: 13 amazing things scientists discovered about sharks in 2013
Hello, all, and happy holidays! I've written a new blog post entitled "13 amazing things scientists discovered about sharks in 2013". The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=16267 As always, I value feedback from the conservation and scientific communities, so please feel free to comment on the post. The scientists whose work is profiled here have been notified and many will be checking the comments, so if you have questions for them, please feel free to ask. Please share with interested colleagues. -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New paper: How Twitter Literacy Can Benefit Conservation Scientists
Hello, all! Our new paper in Conservation Biology, "How Twitter Literacy Can Benefit Conservation Scientists", may be of interest to some on this listserv. It can be accessed here as an "early view": http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10./cobi.12226/abstract;jsessionid=DACD060201EF469861D64F9554093F76.f01t03 If anyone has any questions or would like a copy, please contact me directly. Please share with interested colleagues and students! Happy holidays! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] CNN is airing "Blackfish" Thursday at 9, watch and join the live discussion
Hello, everyone! Thursday (tomorrow) at 9:00 P.M., CNN will be airing the award-winning documentary "Blackfish", which focuses on captive orca whales and SeaWorld. In addition to writing for a live-blog for CNN (CNN.com/BlackFishLive), I've arranged for a group of marine mammal experts to join me in live-tweeting the film and taking questions from the public. For details and instructions on how to participate in the live twitter discussion, please see this blog post: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15694 Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] ScienceOnline Oceans: Spots still available, field trips and workshops open to non-attendees
Hello, everyone! ScienceOnline Oceans, a conference which will focus on how marine scientists and conservationists can use internet tools for education, outreach, and collaboration will take place at the University of Miami October 11-13th. While the examples will focus on marine issues, the tools and strategies discussed are broadly applicable. The event will include an opening reception at the Miami science museum, and a day of discussion-based programming at the University of Miami's Whitten learning center. A list of topics can be found here: http://sciooceans.wikispaces.com/Sessions More than 150 marine scientists, conservationists, educators and journalists from all over the world will be attending, so the conference will be an excellent networking opportunity ( https://scienceonline.wufoo.com/reports/look-whos-coming-to-scienceonline-oceans/ ) There are still spots available to register ($150 for students) https://scienceonline.wufoo.com/forms/x7p3x3/ Additionally, there are pre-conference workshops and a post-conference field trip, which you do not need to register for the main meeting to participate in. Workshops ($75) will be from 1-4 p.m. on Friday, October 11th at the Sonesta Coconut grove, and include: 1) An introduction to social media for science outreach 2) Communicating your research through film 3) Tips and tricks to spice up your blogging 4) Ocean science in sixty seconds (podcasting). You can register here: http://sciooceans.wikispaces.com/Workshops Additionally, there is a post-conference field trip on Sunday, October 13th (all day) that will explore different ecosystems associated with the Everglades, including some that the public rarely gets to see. The fee is $100, which does not include an optional airboat ride. http://sciooceans.wikispaces.com/Field+Trips *Please consider attending the meeting, or just a workshop or field trip. Please pass this information on to interested friends and colleagues.*Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Blog post: 10 tips for graduate students to make the most of scientific conferences
Hello, everyone! I've written a blog post featuring 10 tips for graduate students to make the most of scientific conferences. Please share with interested students. Feedback is welcome, either through e-mail (preferably responding just to me, not "reply all") or, better yet, as a comment on the blog post itself so others can benefit from your personal tips. Thank you! http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15246 Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Spots still available for ScienceOnline Oceans conference!
Hello, everyone! ScienceOnline Oceans, a conference which will focus on how marine scientists and conservationists can use the internet for collaboration, education and outreach, still has a few spots available! The meeting will take place October 11th-13th at the University of Miami. The full program can be found here: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/program/ Registration information can be found here: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/registration-information/ Please share with any interested colleagues, and please let me know if you have any questions! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Tweets from the Society for Conservation Biology
Hello, everyone! The Society for Conservation Biology's International Congress for Conservation Biology just concluded in Baltimore. I was one of many attendees who live-tweeted the meeting, sharing important updates from the presentations in real time via twitter. I've Storify-ed (organized into a format that you can read even if you're not on twitter) tweets from the marine conservation talks, as well as the student networking workshop and the symposium on marine protected areas. I encourage you to read them if you're interested in the latest marine conservation research. I'm happy to answer any questions about the process of live-tweeting. Student networking workshop tweets: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15219 Marine protected areas symposium: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15215 Marine conservation talks: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15223 Thanks for reading! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Tweets from the American Elasmobranch Society conference
Hello, everyone! I recently attended the American Elasmobranch Society conference, the largest meeting of shark, skate and ray scientists in the world. We live-tweeted the conference, sharing exciting new research from presentations live via twitter. Each session's tweets are now Storify-ed, formatted and organized in a way that people who aren't on twitter can easily read. Please look them over, share with interested colleagues, and let me know if you have any questions! If you're interested in learning more about the benefits of conference live-tweeting as well as how to do it, please see my recent publication on this issue here: ( http://rjd.miami.edu/assets/pdfs/pubs/Shiffman%202012%20conference%20live-tweeting.pdf ) Dr. Gregor Cailliet's plenary address http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15116 The biology and conservation of durophagous rays symposium http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15119 Ecology and Conservation http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15128 Gruber Award (best student presentation) session http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15144 Physiology, Behavior and Genetics: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15163 Finally, I asked people following along to tell me a little about themselves- check out the diversity of our audience! http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=15168 Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] ScienceOnline Oceans conference is now open for registration, will explore how marine scientists can use the internet for collaboration and outreach
Hello, everyone! This October, the University of Miami will host ScienceOnline Oceans, a conference focusing on how marine scientists and conservationists can use the internet for collaboration, education, and outreach. The program http://oceans.scienceonline.com/program/ includes topics such as: -How to use social media and blogs for public outreach and broader impacts, -How to use smartphone apps for field research, -Distance learning, -Creating online databases and data visualization, -Creating short films about your research, -Media training, -and more! The conference will include a panel discussion and social event at the Miami Science Museum, and there are several optional pre-meeting workshops and post-meeting field trips. While examples focusing on the marine sciences, the techniques are broadly applicable to other fields. Registration is now open, and takes place online here: https://scienceonline.wufoo.com/forms/x7p3x3/ . Information about event costs can be found here: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/registration-information/ Attendees can book their hotel room at the conference hotel following these instructions: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/hotel-information/ Please share this information with interested colleagues and students, and please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] ScienceOnline Oceans Conference: Registration now open!
Hello, everyone! The ScienceOnline Oceans Conference, which will focus on how marine scientists and conservationists can use internet tools for collaboration, education and outreach is now open for registration! The meeting will be held in Miami,FL October 11-13th. You can view the program here: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/program/ Event costs are $150 for students and $200 for others. We take payment via PayPal, which also allows you to send an electronic check or use most major credit cards. To register, please visit this website: https://scienceonline.wufoo.com/forms/x7p3x3/ There are a limited number of spots available, so if you're interested in attending we recommend you register quickly! Please e-mail me ( david.shiff...@gmail.com ) or ScienceOnline Executive Director Karyn (ka...@scienceonline.com) with any questions or concerns. To learn more about the meeting, please visit Oceans.ScienceOnline.com Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] The role of twitter in the life cycle of a scientific publication: Feedback requested
Hello, Ecolog! I'm writing to share a manuscript that may be of interest to the ecology community, and to request feedback. Our paper, "The role of twitter in the life cycle of a scientific publication", addresses how social media can be used to help scientists in generating research ideas, collaborating across distance, and spreading the word about a published paper. The paper has been submitted for traditional peer review, but we are also performing an "open peer review" via PeerJ. As part of this open peer-review, anyone can see our submitted manuscript and provide comments on it publicly. If you'd prefer, we'd also be happy to take private comments in the form of an e-mail to me (david.shiff...@gmail.com) The manuscript can be found online here: https://peerj.com/preprints/16/ I am happy to answer any questions anyone has about our paper, other uses of social media, or the process of open peer review. Thanks, all! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] ScienceOnline Oceans conference registration is next week! Information on registration procedure and costs.
Hello, everyone! ScienceOnline Oceans, a conference which will focus on applications of the internet for collaboration, education and outreach in the marine sciences, will be taking place October 11-13th at the University of Miami (Miami, FL). (check out Oceans.ScienceOnline.com) Open registration will take place next Wednesday (May 8th) during two "open registration" windows. One window is at 9:00 a.m. EST and the other is at 2:00 P.M. EST, and there are 50 spots available during each. *We strongly encourage interested participants to register as soon as the "open registration" windows open*, as in the past, ScienceOnline registration *spots have filled up in under 5 minutes*! Any spots remaining will be filled by lottery, and then by waitlist. Presenters and moderators have spots automatically reserved, if you are volunteering, presenting or moderating please *do not* register during the open registration window. More explanation about registration procedures, including the link to actually register (currently closed until the open registration windows occur), can be found here: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/registration-information/ The total cost for the event is $150 for students and $200 for all others (the link above explains what this cost does and does not include). The full program is still being finalized, but you can see a great deal of it here to help decide if you'd like to attend: http://oceans.scienceonline.com/ Please forward this to interested colleagues, and please let us know if you have any questions for me! Sincerely, -- David Shiffman Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program e: david.shiff...@gmail.com | p: 412.915.2309 a: 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 t: @WhySharksMatter | b: Southern Fried Science Blog
[ECOLOG-L] Was CITES a game-changer for online outreach at fisheries and wildlife conservation management meetings?
Hello, everyone! The recent CITES meeting made history for many reasons, including the first time a commercially exploited species of shark was protected by the Convention. CITES COP16 was also noteworthy because of the extent that online outreach efforts were incorporated. This allowed interested citizens all over the world to follow along (and to some degree, participate in the discussion) in real time. Interested citizens could follow not only the debates over the policies made by delegates in attendance, but live expert commentary on those debates from scientists and policy experts. I've written a blog post summarizing online outreach efforts at CITES, along with my suggestions, predictions, and hopes for online outreach at future wildlife conservation and fisheries management meetings. The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=14515 Please share with interested colleagues and friends. I welcome feedback on these ideas either as a comment on the blog or via e-mail. If you're willing, blog comments would be preferable because they allow others to see and participate in the discussion. Thanks! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] More information on sharing a class on twitter, including a transcript of today's lesson
Hi, everyone! This morning I taught a live "marine biology 101" style lecture on bycatch over twitter. Thanks to all those who participated- participants included locals as well as scientists, students, and interested citizens from around the world! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach a class live over twitter, or are just interested in reading the transcript of the lecture (including questions and comments from participants), I encourage you to check out this link on our lab blog: http://rjd.miami.edu/conservation/bycatchteachin-teaching-a-marine-biology-class-live-over-twitter I'm happy to answer any questions that anyone has about twitter teach-ins. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Seeking scientists to sign a petition encouraging the phase-out of destructive fishing techniques
Hello, Ecologgers! The Marine Conservation Institute has written a letter encouraging the European Union (home of one of the world's largest deep-sea fishing fleets) to phase out bottom trawling and bottom gillnetting. Both fishing techniques have high rates of bycatch, and trawling damages the substrate itself. MCI is seeking scientists to sign the letter. Background information, the full text of the letter, and instructions on how to sign can be found at this blog post: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=14242 Please note that commenting on the blog post is not the same thing as signing the petition. Please share with interested colleagues. I'm happy to answer any questions that anyone has. Thanks for your help! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] New blog post- the use of complex equations decreases the chance that a paper will be cited
Hello, all! I wanted to let you know about a new blog post I've written that may be of interest. A recent PNAS paper showed that papers including a high density of complex equations are less likely to be cited than papers with fewer equations. Their conclusion was that many scientists appear to be unfamiliar with complex mathematics. This paper prompted 4 replies in the latest issue of PNAS. I've summarized all the sides in a blog post, and invited the authors of each of the papers and replies to participate in a discussion with my blog's readers. Given that many of you use complex mathematics in your research, I thought that this might interest you. Please feel free to join the discussion on the blog either by sharing your opinion or by responding to my readers' questions. The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13943 Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Tweets from the American Elasmobranch Society conference
Hello, everyone! I recently attended the American Elasmobranch Society conference, the world's largest annual gathering of shark, skate and ray scientists. Along with several other members, I shared updates from the conference in real-time with followers all over the world using twitter. I've now added each of the conference tweets to a "Storify", which organizes them and allows people to easily read them even if they are unfamiliar with twitter. If anyone is interested in learning more about using twitter as a tool for science outreach, I recently had a paper published about this topic- please let me know if you are interested in receiving a copy. Here are links to each of the American Elasmobranch Society tweets, organized by conference session theme and by talk. Each talk's abstract is included, along with links to learn more about the study species or lab. If you have a question about any of the research I've shared on twitter, please leave it as a comment at the bottom and I'll make sure the presenter sees it. President Lara Ferry's plenary, Elasmobranchs in Biological Research: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13604 Deepwater Chondrichthyans Symposium http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13605 Elasmobranch Behavior: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13610 Elasmobranch Anatomy, Development and Physiology http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13617 Elasmobranch Genetics: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13633 Gruber award (best student presentation) talks http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13625 Elasmobranch Conservation: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13632 Elasmobranch Ecology: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13634 Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Update: SC Sea Grant Consortium funding restored
Thanks for all your help, Ecologgers! As of a few minutes ago, the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium has had their funding restored. Broad bipartisan majorities in both the state House and state Senate overturned Governor Haley's veto of funding for the agency. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Gov. Haley cuts all funding for the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, your support is needed!
Hello, Ecologgers! As some of you may have heard, the Governor of South Carolina cut all state funding for the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium this week. For those of you unfamiliar with Sea Grant programs, they provide grants for scientific research and sustainable coastal development, and they work closely with local stakeholders with the goal of "helping citizens utilize scientific information to support a vibrant economy while ensuring ecological sustainability”. Cutting the program entirely will result in a 0.002% reduction of state government spending, but could result in millions of dollars of Federal research grants no longer reaching scientists in the state. I've written a blog post summarizing the issue, including a list of some of SC Sea Grant's amazing accomplishments in recent years. The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=13471 The SC legislature is meeting next week to consider overriding the budget cut. Phone calls from the scientific community in support of the Sea Grant Consortium would go a long way towards helping to restore funding. Thank you for your help. I'm happy to answer any questions. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] How to live-tweet a conference: a guide for conference organizers and interested twitter users. Feedback requested from the scientific community
Hello, everyone! I recently wrote a blog post about live-tweeting scientific conferences, which is discussing conference presentations on twitter as they occur. This allows interested members of the general public from all over the world to follow along, learn, and even participate (I've been able to relay questions from my twitter followers to presenters at conferences). The blog post provides advice for conference organizers on how to promote live-tweeting, and advice for twitter users to use the tool to maximum effect. My goal is to host a discussion between conference organizers, scientists who use twitter, and members of the general public who are interested in science and conservation but don't attend conferences. Eventually, I hope that this blog post and discussion can help promote live-tweeting at future conferences. In order for that to happen, your feedback on this post is essential. I'd appreciate it if people interested in this topic could take a few minutes to read through my list of suggestions and strategies, and participate in the discussion by commenting on the blog post. I would also appreciate it if you could forward this e-mail to colleagues who may be interested in the discussion. The post can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=12120 Thank you very much for your assistance! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Saving Nemo: New research shows that 1 out of 6 species from "Finding Nemo" are threatened with extinction
A new study, published today in the journal Conservation Letters, tracks the conservation status of 1,500 marine species which appeared in the Disney/Pixar movie "Finding Nemo" (or are members of a family which had a representative in the film). The results are scary- 1 in 6 overall are threatened with extinction, with even more alarming trends for subgroups like sea turtles, sharks, and seahorses. I have the full story on my marine biology and conservation blog, Southern Fried Science: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=12126 As always, I welcome feedback from the scientific and conservation community and invite you to comment on the blog post. Thanks! Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Vote for a student science blog to help me win $10,000 for ecology and conservation research
Hello, Ecologgers! My name is David Shiffman, and I'm a Ph.D. student studying marine biology. I also write about sharks for Southern Fried Science, an ocean science blog that often covers ecology and conservation topics. For my work with conservation advocacy and education on Southern Fried Science, I've been named as a finalist in the 2011 blogging scholarship, which provides $10,000 to cover the winner's research and education expenses. The final decision comes down to votes, and it's a tight race. If I win, the money would be used for our lab's ongoing shark behavioral ecology and conservation work. It would be used to help our citizen science program (last year we took hundreds of high school students from inner-city Miami schools out into the field to learn about science and participate in shark research), as well as pay for satellite tags to help track sharks to see where they go (a long-term project which recently contributed to four species of sharks being protected from fishing in Florida state waters). We'd hold a contest for our readers to suggest names for the tagged shark, and I'd post regular updates about where the shark is and what it's likely to encounter. If you could take 30 seconds and vote for me (David Shiffman) to win and support my lab's ongoing behavioral ecology and conservation work, I'd really appreciate it. If you could take two minutes to vote for me and to share the voting page with interested colleagues The voting page is here: http://www.collegescholarships.org/blog/2011/11/18/2011-blogging-scholarship/ Thanks for your time and assistance! Please let me know if you have any questions for me. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] Marine biology and conservation education on Twitter
Hello, everyone! The RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program at the University of Miami ( RJD.Miami.edu) is proud to unveil a new online educational initiative- Twitter teach-ins. We will be hosting a series of 20-30 minute discussions from our Twitter account (@RJ_Dunlap) about marine biology and conservation topics. Many Tweets will include links to relevant news articles, photos, videos, and scientific publications. Anyone can participate from anywhere in the world as long as you have a computer with an internet connection. Following each discussion, there will be a live question and answer session, and we will answer every question asked of us. The first teach in will be Monday at 1:00 EST, and will be about the topic of overfishing. Future topics will include invasive species, bycatch, seafood sustanability, marine protected areas, shark biology and conservation, sea turtle biology and conservation, ecotourism, and more. I encourage anyone who is on Twitter to follow us @RJ_Dunlap ( http://twitter.com/#!/rj_dunlap) , and we'd appreciate it if you could encourage your followers to follow us as well. Additionally, whether or not you are on Twitter, you can encourage your students, colleagues, and interested friends and family to participate in these teach-ins. I welcome any feedback from the scientific community about this initiative. The mission of the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program is to “advance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) literacy and marine conservation by combining cutting edge research and outreach activities”, and we hope that these Twitter teach-ins will help us to advance that mission. I hope that you’ll follow along with the first teach-in Monday at 1 EST, and I hope that you’ll encourage your followers to do the same. For more information, please see this blog post: http://www.rjd.miami.edu/blog/?p=1333 Additionally, please let me know if you have any questions about this initiative. Sincerely, -- *David Shiffman* *Ph.D. Student, Research Assistant,* Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy <http://www.cesp.miami.edu/> R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program <http://rjd.miami.edu/> [image: RJD] *e: *david.shiff...@gmail.com | *p: *412.915.2309 *a: *4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, Florida, 33149 *t: *@WhySharksMatter <http://twitter.com/#!/WhySharksMatter> | *b: *Southern Fried Science Blog <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/>
[ECOLOG-L] UPDATE- Volunteers needed to tag sharks in South Carolina
I'm sorry for another post about the same topic, but since I sent a request for volunteers earlier this week, I've received over 150 replies. Many people are asking the same questions. I complied a list of common questions and have answered them. These FAQ's can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=9758 I'm happy to answer other questions, but please check the FAQ's first. Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Volunteers needed for shark tagging in South Carolina
Hello, everyone! My name is David Shiffman, and I'm a marine biology graduate student in Charleston, SC. I also work with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources coastal shark survey. We need volunteers to come catch and tag sharks with us! The sampling season will start in mid-May and will continue through August. During the season, we will take 2 or 3 day trips each week (always on weekdays), and we have room for one or two volunteers on most of these day trips. Volunteers will assist with all aspects of sampling, including baiting hooks, pulling nets, etc. It can be extremely physical work. The sampling boat is small and has no shade or bathroom. The sampling boat leaves from Charleston, SC. If you: A) can get to Charleston, SC, B) are over 18 C) do not get seasick (this is not the same as not knowing if you get seasick) D) Can do physical labor Then we'd love to have you. We prefer if volunteers come on only one sampling trip, but we may be able to work something out if you'd prefer to come on more than one. Please e-mail me if you meet the requirements above and are interested in volunteering, or if you have any questions for me.However, please do not e-mail me just to say that "this sounds fun, but I can't make it". Last year I received over 100 of those e-mails, and while I appreciate the enthusiasm, it clogged my inbox. I welcome e-mails from any potential volunteers. Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Anti-science and anti-conservation politicians
Hello, everyone! I apologize for the departure from pure science discussions, but many scientific issues are intertwined with the political process. I wanted to share some disturbing stories of anti-science and anti-conservation politicians As many of you know, United States midterm elections are coming up. The Tea Party is a growing conservative political force. Much has been written on the Tea Party's economic beliefs, but few people know where they stand on issues of science and conservation.Check out this post on the subject, and tell your rational friends about it: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=8179 Recently, Democratic leadership tried to pass the Shark Conservation Act, a law that would protect sharks in United States waters, and several other conservation policies.. Republicans blocked them so that they could claim to be stopping the growth of big government. Learn more here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=8005 Finally, did you know that there is a "save the light bulb" movement in the United States? Conservative politicians are against energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs! Yes, you read that correctly-they don't want to save the planet, but they want to save light bulbs. Check it out here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=7757 Your comments on these posts are welcome. Thanks, everyone! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Help a conservation documentary get onto Netflix
Hello, Ecologgers! The award-winning ocean acidification documentary "A Sea Change" has been officially listed as a "saved film" on the DVD rental website Netflix. This means that they are waiting to see how many people add the film to their queue before deciding to purchase copies. If you or anyone else you know has a Netflix account, please add "A Sea Change" to your queue! Once you have an account, adding movies to the queue is free and only takes a few seconds. It will have a big impact in terms of getting the message out about this important (and largely unknown) environmental issue. I also recommend actually *watching* the movie- though this audience is likely well versed in the dangers of climate change and ocean acidification, the movie is very well done. Their Netflix page can be found here: http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/A-Sea-Change/70117938?strackid=7836850a5fca4730_0_srl&strkid=1668768631_0_0&trkid=438381 Thanks! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] The value and environmental impact of ecotourism- shark diving!
Hello, Ecologgers! I recently introduced a new series of posts on my blog called "Shark Science Monday". Each week, I post a video interview with a leader from the shark science community, and readers can ask them questions in the comments section. My first two focus on shark ecotourism. The first, with Simon Fraser University student Aleks Maljkovic, shows that feeding sharks does not seriously impact their behavior, despite the claims of many environmental groups. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=7733 The second, with Dr. Eric Clua, shows that while a dead shark is worth hundreds of dollars to a fish market, a live shark can be worth up to $50,000 for ecotourism! http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=7972 Please share with anyone interested in ecotourism, and please ask these scientists questions! Thanks, everyone! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] ESA science blogging workshop
Hello, ecologgers! I've received many questions from people on this listserv about science blogging. As it happens, I will be teaching a workshop about science blogging at this year's ESA meeting in Pittsburgh. The event will be on Saturday, July 31 from 1-5 p.m. Additional information can be found on the conference website, http://eco.confex.com/eco/2010/techprogram/D1032.HTM The goal of the workshop is to explain the importance of communicating science to the public through blogging, as well as to demonstrate how to blog. I will also focus on how science blogging can help make undergraduate biology courses more engaging for students.. Participants will leave the workshop with a fully functional science blog, the knowledge of how to be a good blogger, and a network of colleagues who can help you and your blog in the future. I encourage anyone interested in communicating science to the public through science blogging to register. Please let me know if you have any questions for me! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Volunteers needed for shark tagging in South Carolina!
Hello! My name is David Shiffman, and I'm a Masters in Marine Biology student in Charleston, South Carolina. I study the feeding ecology of sharks in SC estuaries. I need volunteers to come tag sharks with me. We take day trips 2-4 days a week, leaving from Charleston early in the morning and returning before dinnertime. It's hard work on a small boat with no shade or bathrooms, and you get completely disgusting from bait, mud, and sweating in the South Carolina summer heat. However, you will see a lot of sharks. We caught 20 on the slowest day I've ever participated in, and over 200 on the busiest. I am making the volunteer schedule for July in the next few days, so please e-mail me ASAP if you are interested. Because our trip dates can change at the last minute due to bad weather or mechanical issues, *I DO NOT RECOMMEND TRAVELING FROM FAR AWAY TO DO THIS*. I cannot guarantee that we'll actually go out on the day you come. For those of you coming in from out of town, my lab has apartments for visiting scientists that are pretty reasonably priced, and Charleston also has a variety of hotels and motels. You are welcome to participate in more than one day if you'd like. Please let me know if you're interested and if you have any questions for me! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Blog discussions: lethal research on sharks, an interview about overfishing with commercial fishermen, and the internet's best oil spill resources
Hi, everyone! My marine biology and conservation blog has three discussions going on that many of you might be interested in. The first concerns a recent paper in the journal of conservation biology. The authors argue that it is sometimes necessary to kill individual sharks for the benefit of species-level conservation, and it has generated a lot of strong opinions. What do you think? Join the discussion here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=5412 Red snapper are one of the most overfished species in the United States, but tough new regulations have fishermen marching on Washington, DC in protest. Two commercial fishermen agreed to take my questions about their side of the story. See their responses and leave more questions for them here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=5746 Finally, my co-blogger has compiled a list of the internet's best resources for oil spill news. It includes blog posts and Twitter feeds. Check it out, and let us know if you have any that we should add: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?page_id=5720 Thanks, everyone! Sincerely, David Shiffman Masters in Marine Biology candidate, College of Charleston
[ECOLOG-L] Blog discussion: Captive orca whales and release/rehabilitation
Hello, everyone! My blog is presently having a heated discussion on whether or not freeing captive orca whales from aquariums is appropriate. This discussion was sparked by the recent Sea World tragedy, but references the real-life incidents surrounding the "Free Willy" movie and includes an interview with Jean-Michel Cousteau. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=4334 It cost over $40 million to rehabilitate and release Keiko (the real life whale who played "Willy"), and in exchange he got to live in the wild for less than five years. Is this an appropriate method to use on other presently captive orcas? Some animal rights extremists have joined in the conversation, making claims like "evil aquarium employees who enslave whales deserve to be killed by whales" and "aquariums and zoos have no education value whatsoever". I always appreciate the knowledgeable feedback that Ecolog members bring to these discussions. Feel free to join in! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Several science blog discussions: feedback requested
Hello, friends! My blog has several ongoing discussions that Ecolog members might be interested in. Many of our readers are students, but the discussions are always improved by comments from experts. 1) A colleague is working on a conservation genetics tutorial which will eventually be distributed to policymakers. The goal is to make conservation genetics understandable. He is seeking feedback on both the content and the writing style. Please look this over and make comments as you see fit. This particular post is about Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=4496 2) We are having a discussion about a Nature paper which claimed that bycatch is keeping several species of seabirds alive by giving their predator something else to eat. Should we still be trying to reduce bycatch in this region? http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=4051 3) We are also having a discussion about ecosystem based management. Several of our commenters have claimed that it doesn't work, while others claim that it's the future of conservation. What do you guys think? http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=4623 Finally, we are having two discussions about the effect that people's individual choices have on conservation. 4) Now that bluefin tuna aren't protected by CITES, are they doomed? If they are doomed, are we helping them at all by not eating them? http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=4519 5) Should environmentally conscious consumers stop eating seafood entirely? My colleague claims that we shouldn't. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=4448 Thanks, everyone! I'd appreciate any blog comments that you leave. Feel free to send this to any interested friends. As always, if you are working on something that you'd like me to publicize through the blog, shoot me an e-mail. Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Quantifying color change
Hello, friends! I am working on a project involving color change in fishes. I have a series of high-definition photographs taken over the course of a few weeks (same camera settings, same lighting conditions, taken in the same location). The color change is visually apparent. I have been having some difficulty finding literature that deals with quantifying color change and the associated statistics. If anyone has any suggestions on how to do this, I would be in your debt. Thanks! Sincerely, David Shiffman Masters Candidate, College of Charleston
[ECOLOG-L] Blog discussion about "Frontiers in Ecology and Environment" article
This month's "Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment" features a brief news article about a proposed new conservation policy- killing barred owls to stop them from encroaching on the limited habitat of the endangered northern spotted owl. This article has generated quite a bit of discussion among my scientist friends, and I wrote about it for my conservation blog. It's starting to generate some discussion and I'd like to invite the endangered species and conservation experts on this listserv to join in. http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=3891 Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Help requested on "crowdsourcing" conservation genetics project
From: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=3818 A marine biology Ph.D. student is planning on producing a document that will explain the basics of conservation genetics to policymakers and resource managers, but he needs your help! If you know a lot about conservation genetics (or if you don't but think this is an important goal), your assistance can be invaluable. If you are interested in helping with this project, the ideal way of acknowledging your interest would be a comment on the blog post linked to above. For the less tech-savvy among you, a reply to this e-mail will be fine. Thanks, everyone! Sincerely, David Shiffman
[ECOLOG-L] Hello from a marine conservation blogger!
Hello, fellow ecologists! My name is David Shiffman, and I'm a graduate student at the College of Charleston. I study the feeding ecology and conservation of local shark species. I also write for a marine biology and conservation blog called Southern Fried Science. After attending a recent science communication conference, we are reaching out to scientists in a variety of fields. The blog covers many topics related to ecology and conservation, and we regularly have great discussions with scientists, students of all ages, NGO representatives, and concerned citizens from around the world. Our discussions can only be improved with the addition of more professional scientists like yourselves. We are also happy to serve as the "broader impacts" for some of you. We always enjoy interviewing scientists about their research, and our readers enjoy it as well. I invite everyone to check out southernfriedscience.com, bookmark us and check back regularly, and join in the discussions by commenting. If you have any questions about how to do this, or you are interested in describing your research to our readers, please don't hesitate to contact me at whysharksmat...@gmail.com Thanks, everyone! Sincerely, David Shiffman
