Courses

Biology of Marine Mammals

This lecture class introduces undergraduate and masters students to the biology and conservation of cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians and sea otters.  Andy teaches the class in the fall term at the Duke University Marine Laboratory, with video-links to main campus in Durham. Andy is currently working on a revision to the curriculum to be able to offer this class both in-person and online in Fall 2020. Stay tuned for an updated syllabus.

Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles

Matthew Godfrey leads this field course on the biology of sea turtles, covering their evolution, anatomy, physiology, behavior, life history and population dynamics; the class emphasizes the role of sea turtles in marine ecosystem structure and function. Basic ecological concepts are integrated into issues related to the conservation and management of endangered species, the contributions of technology to the study of migratory marine species, and the role of research in national and international law and policy.  Undergraduate and masters students are able to interact directly with resource managers, community conservationists, fishermen and other stakeholders and gain first-hand experience with field assessment methods.  You can read more about the course through the class blog.

Developing Model Marine Mammal Legislation

This class, offered under the Duke Bass Connections program during the 2020-2021 school year, explores the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Import Provisions Rule. This is an applied, interdisciplinary course that covers the MMPA, marine mammal bycatch, and international fisheries through a combination of independent research and discussion. Based on this understanding, students and faculty will develop a suite of potential “model” legislations and actions for different nations to consider as they work to comply with the MMPA Import Provisions Rule.