Invaluable Research Opportunities

SRC provides a platform for students to conduct research while enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Miami. Graduate students interested in getting involved with SRC projects while attending graduate school should read Dr. Hammerschlag’s letter to prospective students.

South Florida is an oasis for marine research, with great weather all year round. Our varied research interests, incorporating both the natural and the social sciences, are applied to produce high-quality science in support of important conservation and management goals. Our sampling sites in the Florida Keys, the Everglades, the Dry Tortugas, and the Bahamas are home to a diverse assemblage of shark species including nurse sharks, blacktips, blacknoses, great and scalloped hammerheads, tiger sharks, and Caribbean reef sharks.

Graduate students working on SRC projects have the opportunity to train and manage undergraduate interns, lead shark research trips, and speak with local school groups about marine conservation. Over the past few years, thousands of high school students, ranging from underserved public school districts to elite prep schools, have accompanied us out on the water to learn about sharks and participate in research.

SRC is a joint initiative of the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science and Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy.

MPS

The University of Miami’s MPS program is an accelerated Masters program that prepares students for careers in industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. Prospective students interested in attending the University of Miami as Masters of Professional Science student at the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, click HERE for more information. Avenues of involvement for MPS students are through the Shark Research Internship described below.

SHARK RESEARCH INTERNSHIP

Have you always dreamt of being a marine biologist? Do you have the yearning to immerse yourself in shark research? Are you an innate leader with a passion for education? If so, the Shark Research Internship could be your dream come true.

The responsibilities as a Shark Research Intern are ever-evolving as our Program expands. Currently, the primary duties include:

  • Attend scheduled shark research/outreach trips and participate actively on the boat. Interns must be available a minimum 2 full days each month
  • Participate in all mandatory training sessions and lab meetings
  • Write at least 1 Blog entry breaking down an ocean-related scientific publication for the general public (350 words)
  • Write at least 1 extended Blog entry about a marine conservation topic of choice (500–750 words)
  • Interns will also be evaluated according to a Performance Review Points System. This has been created to reward those who consistently go above and beyond in their work.

M.S. Program

Prospective students interested in a Masters program in Marine Ecosystem Science should click HERE. Students interested in working with Dr. Neil Hammerschlag should read his letter to prospective students.


Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Prospective students interested in the Ph.D program in Marine & Atmospheric Science, click HERE for more information. Prospective students interested in the Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy, click HERE for more information. Students interested in working with Dr. Hammerschlag should read his letter to prospective students.

“My masters program at Northeastern University included a research and internship requirement, and I was lucky enough to do both with the Shark Research & Conservation Program. The chance to be out in the sun and working with sharks was an amazing opportunity, it’s exciting to be a part of such important research and conservation efforts.”

— Piper Wallingford Masters Student ’11

“The Ph.D. experience with SRC is a mixture of rigorous scientific training coupled with extensive field time. Being a member of Dr. Hammerschlag’s Lab has helped me realize that spending time with sharks in their natural environment is key. I have gained a deeper, more instinctual understanding of these species, better preparing me to navigate my doctoral degree.”

— Austin Gallagher, Ph.D.

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