INTERNSHIPS & THESIS WORK WITH THE BDRI

We invite you to join our ongoing study of the behaviour, habitat use and social lives of these amazing dolphins off the north-eastern coast of Sardinia Island.

Undergraduate and postgraduate student research projects can be supported with boat time and office space. However, competition for positions is keen. An internship with the BDRI requires a lot of motivation and enthusiasm, but it may feel frustrating to some. Working with marine mammals is appealing because of strong public interest in these animals and because the work is personally rewarding.

An internship period with the BDRI offers an excellent opportunity for qualified and motivated individuals to obtain field and laboratory training in marine mammals' research methodology and analysis under the mentorship of experienced bottlenose dolphin researchers. Learning, at its best, should be an active process, one in which the students are challenged on a daily basis with responsibilities that play a large part in the outcome of the research projects.

Interns are required to complete a research project on an assigned relevant topic, to be written in collaboration and supervision with the BDRI's thesis advisor. Undergraduate and postgraduate students can present this personal research project as their Thesis (Bachelor, Master, Diploma, DEA, etc) .

Internships can be used for academic or vocational purposes, but students are solely responsible for making all arrangements for receiving relevant credit(s) as a result of completing the internship.

Although our project focuses primarily on bottlenose dolphins, you will also experience the complex Mediterranean coastal ecosystem in which we live and work. BDRI internships provide invaluable exposure to boat based field work, marine mammals research, intensive training and mentoring in marine ecology, and encouragement to work hard, have fun, and learn from the dolphins and each other.

Working with us and our staff, you will rotate between tasks on land and sea. Onboard the Spartana you will work together with our team in search of cetaceans. To refine details of bottlenose dolphin population biology and responses to human activities at sea, we will take identification photos, observe behaviour, and monitor vocalizations using a hydrophone.

Volunteers will participate in boat-based research surveys investigating ecology and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins on the north-eastern coast of Sardinia, Italy. Students will actively participate in data collection and analyses as part of an ongoing research. You will learn to spot bottlenose dolphins and sea birds. You will also have the opportunity to snorkel in the seagrass beds, walk the beaches of the research area and meet the local people.

Internships require a minimum of two months commitment (3-5 months is preferable). Read through "Internships information, Application form and Recommendation form" carefully, decide what internships period interests you, and take note of any dates that may be preferred. It is very useful to be informed about the BDRI's background, research interests and publications and point out ways that interests interface.

To be successful participants in this project, volunteers should have open minds, flexibility in changing situations, and a desire to help and to learn.

The assistance of internships is crucial to the success of this project. They assist with data collection and recording while on the boat, helping to locate and keep track of dolphin groups, recording sighting and behavioural data, collecting environmental information and recording sounds or photographic data. Back at the lab, volunteers may occasionally be asked to restock field supplies or check and transcribe that each day's data sheets are complete. Boat cleaning and maintenance may also be required.

Previous experience in the use of binoculars, computers, and cameras would be a bonus but is not required.

The volunteering fee includes research training and all associated field costs during your stay with us, accommodations and three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at the research station. The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute is not a tourist or dolphin watching organisation, but a well-organised team of researchers. Therefore, as part of a working team, you will be expected to participate in all activities of the day including your share of basic domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning and maintenance.