Amanda Koltz
Cornell University
Worked with the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering Program conducting acoustic surveys and fish behavioral studies.

The majority of my summer internship was spent in Seattle working on an ongoing project to identify fish species through multi-frequency acoustic backscatter. Three weeks were spent at sea on the first cruise of the new NOAA research vessel Oscar Dyson, where I was able to experience an acoustic survey first hand in the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. I was also given the opportunity to accompany Dr. Craig Rose and Dr. Cliff Ryer on daytrips out of Newport, Oregon to study fish behavior in response to fishing gear.

Thanks to my advisor Dr. De Robertis and the other scientists of the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program , I learned a considerable amount about acoustics and fisheries science this summer, as well as gaining valuable computer and fieldwork skills. Seeing how real science is carried out was almost even more of a learning experience. I never realized how many things slow down research. My respect for the determination of scientists despite these difficulties has increased dramatically over the course of this internship. I would like to thank Dr. Alex De Robertis, Dr. Chris Wilson, Denise McKelvey, Kresimir Williams, Rick Towler, and the rest of MACE for all of their support the last few months.

Check out Amanda's website describing her internship!