I’m seeking any and all forms of accessible professional development assistance as I struggle building my career in marine mammal science. Primary barriers are notably lack of pay and financial support for low-income folks, and a stark lack of adequately paid entry-level opportunities overall, all of which have been conspicuously reinforced and normalized in the field.
I went to school specifically to pursue a career in marine mammal science and was lucky enough to get a taste of the field during my final years of college when I was able to intern with Cascadia Research Collective in Olympia, WA. This experience set the foundation for my skills as a marine mammal researcher and fueled an exciting fire of passion; I got a taste for what I had always dreamed of doing, and I wanted more. I participated in large whale surveys through CRC and in collaboration with whale watch operators, developed online databases for humpback sightings using Microsoft Access and roughly 25 years of third-party contributor data, and participated in stranding response efforts and necropsies. Post graduation, I’ve found that the opportunities to advance beyond my previous title as intern to be far and few between, bordering nonexistent.
As the years have passed since I achieved my bachelor’s degree in marine science, I’ve managed to dabble in a variety of seasonal work, mostly at the technician level. At Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, I previously performed dockside creel surveys, and currently perform freshwater stream surveys for the Inland Fish program as an upper level scientific technician. Previously I had detoured through the field of forestry working for Washington Dept. of Natural Resources when jobs were lacking, and I fill in the off-season gaps with grueling stints in the food service industry to keep the lights on.
Graduating right before the covid-19 pandemic resulted in years of lost opportunities when the whole world shut down. My qualifications are even beginning to expire in a way, as the skills I developed in college begin to atrophy from lack of use. Some jobs and internships now require applicants to be fresh out of college, or currently enrolled, to be eligible for employment. The digitization of the field to rely heavily on coding programs and drone operations, phasing out humans for machines, has also reduced my window of opportunity for advancement.
Currently, pursuing my master’s degree remains a risky decision in the United States as our current administration destabilizes federal institutions, and money continues to be the limiting factor at the end of the day. I question if I want to remain in the United States entirely as it becomes an incredibly dangerous nation for marginalized people, especially of low income.
Even still, I’ve found myself taking steps away from other important aspects in life in an attempt to recalibrate my professional trajectory, though I’m beginning to question my belonging in the field of marine mammal research as it has become apparent that this is an environment tailored for the independently wealthy. Since discovering the field of marine mammal research as a child through the Vancouver Aquarium, and encouraged by the regional cultural value placed on, notably, killer whale conservation and research here in the Pacific Northwest where I grew up, this is the only profession I’ve wanted to chase, and yet it consistently remains out of reach.
My areas of interest within the field lie in population monitoring and modeling (especially in relation to anthropogenic threats such as collapsing prey stocks and major environmental shifts due to pollution, over-harvesting or destruction of ecological resources, and climate change), investigation of understudied populations, citizen science as a tool for active monitoring and community engagement, educational outreach to underserved communities, professional and financial support for new [marine mammal] biologists from marginalized demographics, and indigenous-led conservation measures.
I abhor the use of generative AI that is becoming propped up by tech corporations complicit in genocide and state sanctioned violence, as it has begun to erode at job security for human beings [such as that used in photo-identification] and more recently, more importantly, the accuracy of publicly available information.
I prioritize a more traditional approach to wildlife conservation that maintains an active connection with the environments we study, and keeps human scientists at the forefront while using technological advancements as a complementary secondary tool.
I value conservation measures that extend beyond species and ecosystems of high commercial importance, prioritizing total, or at least more complete, ecological balance and planetary health over the insatiable pace of capitalism and the commercial industries this economic system feeds.
Most importantly, I’m interested in collaborating with like-minded folks who are interested in dissolving the rigid hierarchies within the realm of STEM to permit community-based learning, research, and management practices, and revolutionizing scientific fields of study by advocating for complete cultural and systemic change in how research institutions operate with regards to highly restrictive funding that fails to support its members (especially compared to the military budgets and other federal departments used to enact violence against human beings and destruction unto natural environments we study and rely on for continued survival).
I’ve been told by colleagues that I have a place in the field of marine mammal science, that my drive and passion and willingness to learn and develop my skills support that. I want to believe that I belong, that my hard work will be noticed and eventually pay off, but I can’t believe that until something changes. Until there are ample resources (and an overall willingness in the marine mammal science community) to aid new scientists from low-income and marginalized backgrounds, there is no sense of belonging. I’m hoping somebody out there can convince me otherwise.
May this letter mark my final request for help, addressed to anybody who will listen.
andulkaphoto
izzy806
kianamaiart
vaporwave
