Biography
A graduate from Colgate University, Hamilton, NY with a double major in Biology and Geography, Laura is a M.Sc. candidate in the Marine Mammal Research Unit working under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Trites. Her project focuses on assessing the short-term effects of human disturbance on Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) behaviour.

Under intensive study throughout their range, Steller sea lions experience major disturbances when researchers go onto haulouts or rookeries to collect scat or to capture animals. In order to assess the effects that researchers are having, counts and behavioural observations were conducted at Sunset, SW Brothers, Lowrie, McInnes and South Marble Islands in Alaska and Carmanah Point, British Columbia between May – August 2003. The sites will be revisited to assess any seasonal differences in sea lion response.