Marine Mammal Scientist-in-Training Program

The Marine Mammal Scientist-in-Training Program is an immersive 1-week educational course designed for high school students that are excited to learn about how marine mammals are studied in the Monterey Bay. This class combines classroom instruction with field-based learning. Students will have the opportunity to meet and engage with world-leading marine mammal researchers and local science/environmental educators to build connections in the marine mammal and local communities.

Students will participate in a variety of activities, including observing the natural behavior of whales in Monterey Bay by boat to learn about how these massive animals interact with their environment, seeing how research is conducted with trained animals at UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory, hiking through Año Nuevo State Park to learn about the natural history of northern elephant seals, and kayaking in Elkhorn Slough to observe the behavior of sea otters, harbor seals, and California sea lions. Each field experience will be supported and enhanced by a near-college-level scientific curriculum of lectures and activities about the Monterey Bay ecosystems, with a focus on marine mammals.

Marine education specialists will lead the course with direct involvement from leading marine mammal researchers from the University of California Santa Cruz. We will meet each morning at the classroom (either in Santa Cruz or Watsonville, depending on which week you choose to attend) and then venture out to the various field sites around Monterey Bay.