Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Young Scientist Opportunity Projects
Project descriptions for PYSO undergraduate internships in summer 2022.
Project 1: A Pilot Study on the Use of Artificial Light for Recording Video Data of Hawai‘i Deep 7 Bottomfish Species
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Mentors
Kyle Koyanagi, Dr. Ben Richards, Dianna M. Greene, Jeremy Taylor, Christopher Demarke, Audrey Rollo, Dr. M. Kimberly Lowe, and Kevin Wong
Background
Camera-based surveys are increasingly used as an alternative to extractive monitoring methods, especially in areas where such methods are impracticable, prohibited, or when populations being assessed are nearing catch limits. The NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center developed the Modular Optical Underwater Survey System (MOUSS) as a non-extractive sampling gear in the Bottomfish Fishery-Independent Survey in Hawai‘i (BFISH).
The MOUSS is able to collect optical data on Hawaiian bottomfish populations to a depth of 250 meters. Currently, one of the limiting factors of the deployment beyond this range is ambient light. In order to collect video at 250 to 400 meters of depth, we are developing a prototype artificial lighting system and pilot study. This study will assess the feasibility and effectiveness of artificial light for recording video data on Hawai‘i Deep 7 bottomfish species.
Objectives
The selected intern will assist with the development and refinement of artificial light prototypes to meet project requirements with illumination and attenuation, power consumption and duration, and positioning to reduce reflection and backscatter. The intern may opportunistically also begin to assess preliminary abundance and behavioral effects of the use of artificial lighting on the Hawai‘i Deep 7 bottomfish species. Unique to this project is the Hōkūala Kīkaha Kai Internship, which would give a successful student the opportunity to be a biological science technician for up to 2 years following PYSO, and to then apply for a permanent position with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Work with research team to further refine project scope
- Develop and refine artificial lighting prototypes
- Develop research questions or implementation solutions
- Test artificial lighting prototype units in the Marine Instrumentation Lab and field (small boat testing on the water) if COVID-19 constraints to onsite work allow (see Program Details below)
- Assess and document artificial lighting positioning, illumination, and attenuation
- Analyze and evaluate MOUSS video from the 2022 Spring BFISH research and development mission with artificial lighting using SeaGIS EventMeasure software and any additional shore-based deployments
- Develop project summary findings
- Meet regularly with mentors and the artificial lighting system research team
- Present findings as part of a symposium with other NOAA summer interns
Qualifications
Ideal candidates will demonstrate the following:
- Experience and/or interest in underwater photography and lighting
- Interest in marine instrumentation and electronics
- Interest in fisheries monitoring and/or stock assessment
- Experience with fish identification (familiarity with the Hawaiʻi “Deep 7” bottomfish species)
- Experience with computers and proficiency in basic Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Capacity to work with large data sets
- Ability to learn new software (e.g., EventMeasure)
- Good organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to focus on repetitive tasks
- Strong work ethic
- Willingness to learn
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Ability to be flexible and adapt to a changing work environment
Project 2: Optimizing Marine Turtle Data Acquisition and Entry
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Mentors
Dr. Camryn Allen and Marylou Staman
Background
The Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program (MTBAP) conducts research to monitor the status and trends of marine turtle populations throughout the Pacific Islands region (Hawaiian Archipelago, Mariana Archipelago, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas). MTBAP researchers collect data at each field site using paper data sheets and manually enter them later into a central database. Post-fieldwork data entry is time consuming and often results in delayed data analysis and use of the data to address sea turtle management needs. Additionally, MTBAP manages a citizen science (community science) project that encourages the public to report turtle sightings to a statewide email address. The current system for reporting is inefficient, resulting in time-consuming data management by MTBAP researchers.
Objectives
The selected intern’s key objectives will be to develop protocols for data collection and entry into a field-portable tablet. This includes troubleshooting connectivity between tablet and microchip reader (PIT tag scanner) and troubleshooting connectivity between the tablet and the MTBAP’s centralized database. They will also develop a more user-friendly and efficient platform for the program’s community science project (Honu Count), making it easier for the public to provide data and for the turtle program to use the data to address sea turtle management needs.
As part of the MTBAP research team, a PYSO Intern will also be mentored in general topics of wildlife, fisheries research, and endangered species conservation, including broad exposure to other marine turtle research projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Improve field data collection methods by streamlining tablet-based surveys
- Troubleshoot tablet apps and connectivity to optimize data collection
- Assist MTBAP with the design of survey data forms in Microsoft Access
- Refine the Honu Count community science project idea, develop research questions or implementation solutions, and develop the Honu Count community science platform
- Draft a page dedicated to Honu Count for the NOAA Fisheries website
- Develop a Google Form for the public to report data
- Create an auto response from the current email management system that directs users to the new Honu Count submission process
- Write a web story and assist with a press release for media to announce the launch of the new platform
- Meet with mentors regularly
- Take part in turtle research team meetings
- Present findings as part of a symposium with other NOAA summer interns
Qualifications
The ideal candidate would demonstrate the following:
- Interest in protected species (especially marine turtle) research, community-based science, data management, and mobile technology
- Experience designing web-based and database (Microsoft Access) forms
- Extreme attention to detail
- Ability to remain focused especially while working with large data sets, troubleshooting tech problems, and analyzing data
- Excellent writing and communication skills
- Strong interest in designing, debugging, and testing databases and digital forms
Project 3: Creating Marine Species Hawaiian Cultural Authority Files
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Mentors
Lead mentors: Dr. Danika Kleiber and Dr. Adam Ayers
Additional mentors: Kalani Quiocho, Dr. Kirsten Leong, Bradley Gough, Keahiahi Long (UH Mānoa)
Background
In the Western Pacific, fishing is an integral part of daily life, affecting all cultures and communities. Pacific Island communities have sustained themselves for generations with marine resources from surrounding waters and continue to depend upon the ocean for food and many other activities and products. Documenting the cultural importance and functions of marine species increases the depth of species-level monitoring and management for sustained fisheries.
Marine species are prevalent throughout Hawaiian culture, such as in myths, legends, songs, and place names. However, we have no systematic review of the cultural importance of federally-managed marine fish, crustacean, and precious coral species. The selected intern will first use key historic Hawaiian texts to document the cultural dimensions of federally managed marine species. They will then synthesize the core cultural information that are informed by Hawaiian cultural categories to create authority files. These files will be linked to the current federally managed or studied species, thereby including a cultural dimension to our understanding and management of marine species.
Objectives
The intern’s overall goal will be to develop authority files that include Hawaiian cultural information for key marine species identified in previous work by completing the following:
- Conduct systematic content analysis of key historic documents
- Input cultural knowledge into authority files using cultural categories informed by Hawaiian knowledge systems
- Link authority files to existing PIFSC authority files on managed species
Duties & Responsibilities
- Analyze historic documents to collect, categorize, and document cultural species information
- Perform systematic content analysis of textual sources:
- Qualitative coding of text, based on a codebook of definitions
- Data organization and basic analysis
- Producing authority files
- Produce outreach materials for the general public
- Present findings as part of a symposium with other NOAA summer interns
Qualifications
Although not required, ideal applicants would demonstrate the following:
- Familiarity with Hawaiian names for common marine species
- Coursework in Hawaiian studies or social sciences
- Familiarity with database and spreadsheet software and qualitative coding of text
- Strong work ethic
- Willingness to learn
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Project 4: Exploration of Environmental Drivers of Cookie Cutter Shark Interactions with Humans in Hawaiian Waters
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Mentors
Dr. Donald Kobayashi, Dr. Kisei Tanaka, and Dr. Joy Smith
Background
The cookie cutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis) is a widely distributed species of small pelagic shark, which uses its unique morphology and behavior to bite small chunks of flesh from larger pelagic animals. Human interactions with cookie cutter sharks are rare but have been sporadically documented worldwide.
In 2019, three swimmers were bitten by cookie cutter sharks in the Kaiwi Channel that flows between the islands of Oʻahu and Molokaʻi in Hawaiʻi. The ocean environment was unusually warm during parts of 2019, causing coral bleaching in Hawaiʻi. The 2019 temperatures may also be associated with unusual patterns in fish and shark distributions.
Further examination of sea surface temperature records in the oceanic environment have indicated both cooler-than-usual and warmer-than-usual time periods in 2019, suggesting that any environmental linkages to the increase in human–cookie cutter shark interactions could be more complex than just water temperature itself. It is also unclear if a year with three cookie cutter shark bites is statistically significant, given the high variability and rareness of human and cookie cutter shark interactions.
Objectives
- Compile environmental data that pertain to the area between Oʻahu and Molokaʻi where the 2019 human and cookie cutter shark interactions occurred. Some of these data will be from satellite remote sensing, and some from mathematical models of ocean dynamics.
- Prepare a summary of key environmental variables, showing how 2019 compared to other years in the context of existing patterns of seasonality, long term trends, and interannual variability.
- Explore literature and gather data on any other recorded cookie cutter shark bites in Hawaiʻi in addition to the three three known occurrences in 2019.
- Explore statistical analyses of the 2019 shark–environment interactions to better understand if this constituted a significant event or could be due to chance alone. This objective could also involve computer simulation.
This project could result in a peer-reviewed scientific publication.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Analyze global and regional satellite data gathered by the National Weather Service and other government agencies and departments
- Review relevant cookie cutter shark literature and newspaper archives
- Compile analysis and findings into a written report
- Write a news story for the NOAA Fisheries website
- Present findings as part of a symposium with other NOAA summer interns
Qualifications
Ideal candidates will demonstrate the following:
- Familiarity with scholastic literature review process
- Working knowledge of programming languages such as R and basic statistical methodologies
- Willingness to conduct ecological analysis of various environmental data using R
- Ability to accurately collect and analyze information from NOAA’s advanced environmental data mining & wrangling tool (“EDS - Environmental Data Summary”), including climatological data from satellite-derived data products such as sea surface temperature
- Excellent skills with Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
Questions? Please contact pifsc.pyso@noaa.gov.