Dalia Barragán Barrera, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
Dalia is graduate student at the University de los Andes, Colombia under the supervision of Dr. Susana Caballero. Here thesis project is about the genetic structure and diversity of the bottlenose dolphin population of Bocas del Toro.
Email: dalia.barraganbarrera@gmail.com Website: http://www.bocasdolphins.com/ Ayshah Kassamali-Fox, Antioch University, New England
My current research interests are centered on the effects of human disturbance on the behavioral ecology and conservation of wild cetaceans. This summer 2014, I will be conducting my Master's thesis research into the effects of tour boats on dolphin activity budgets to help quantify the energetic costs of tourism to individual animals and develop recommendations for tourism management and conservation.
Email: akassamali@antioch.edu Website: http://www.bocasdolphins.com/ Ashley Sitar, George Mason University, Virginia
Ashley Sitar is a PHD Candidate in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University. She is currently evaluating the behavioral effects of dolphin watching in Bocas Del Toro, Panama, and evaluating the level of responsible whale watching boat compliancy. The objective of her research is to obtain supporting evidence that shows unsustainable whale watching tourism negatively affects dolphin behaviors. As well as developing measures that can be taken with the community, stakeholders and local tour operators in developing a more sustainable tourism community.
Email: akassamali@antioch.edu Website: http://www.bocasdolphins.com/ Katarina T. Louise Rolf, Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota.
Katarina is an undergraduate student currently obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Neuroscience from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Her first field experience with Panacetacea was assisting in the Humpback Whale Monitoring Project during the summer of 2013. She will be participating in the Bocas project this summer 2014.
Roberto Santamaria, UMIP
Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panama (UMIP). He will be using our database to estimate distribution and habitat use. Evelin Mosquera Barrios, UMIP
Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panama (UMIP). She will be estimating the social perception of dolphin watching conservation efforts in Bocas del Toro
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Giselle veve, University of vermont
I am currently wrapping up my final semester at the University of Vermont studying Zoology with a minor in Statistics. I have always been a cetacean enthusiast and have been encouraged to spread the importance of conserving such environments. This summer I am involved with the Bocas Dolphin Project helping with studies that involve how the dolphin watching industry affects the behavior of the local bottlenose dolphin population along with distribution and genetics. I am also assisting in the Gulf of Chiriqui with photo ID and distribution of migrating humpback whales from the southern hemisphere populations who have been seen to use this area as a breeding ground.
Cole Tanner Rachman, university of vermont
I am a senior at the University of Vermont pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. I am currently working for Panacetacea as a research assistant. My journey started in Bocas del Toro assisting with a variety of projects ranging from the effect that whale watching boats has on the acoustic communication and behavior
of dolphin populations to looking at the gene flow of the dolphin communities to determine if they are genetically isolated. From Bocas I traveled across the country of Panama to the Pacific where I am currently working with Humpback Whales in the Gulf of Chiriqui assisting with research investigating a breeding ground where two populations of Humpbacks meet, one from the northern hemisphere and the other from the southern hemisphere. Since I began my education at the University of Vermont in 2011 I have always been passionate about wildlife conservation. My plan is to finish my degree in Vermont and pursue further education studying cetaceans. Austin Dziki, University of Vermont
Austin is an undergraduate student at University of Vermont, in the Department of Biology. His main interests are in marine conservation, and this summer 2015 he will be assisting in the humpback whale project.
Whitney Kwiers Barrios
Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panama (UMIP). She will be working on the foraging behavior of bottlenose dolphins of Bocas del Toro.
Joel Sanchez, UMIP
Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panama (UMIP). He will be working on habitat use of bottlenose dolphins of Bocas del Toro.
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