MMF Internship Insight - Richard Cooling

Written by Richard Cooling, MMF Intern

In autum and spring of 2022 I undertook a research internship with the Marine Mammal Foundation working on their dolphin fin identification project. The internship was an amazing opportunity to gain experience in the field of conservation and to figure out my own career goals. Working on the fin ID project meant that I was contributing directly to research on the population size and structure of the Burrunan dolphin, part of MMFs Project Burrunan. The internship also saw me get out into the field on the MMF research vessel, and contribute to a training manual that will help other volunteers be a part of the fin ID process. 

I have always had an interest in marine science and environmental conservation, but I wasn’t sure what the work would actually look like and which aspects of it I would most enjoy. Doing my internship at MMF gave me insight into what it’s actually like to be a marine science researcher day-to-day. Most of the work is office-based, analysing data such as the dolphin fin photographs. But getting to go out in the field to conduct dolphin surveys makes the office work all worthwhile! During my internship I also built my skills in science communication by writing blog posts for the MMF website. MMFs various projects and outreach programs make it easy to apply your skills across lots of different areas. 

Working with the friendly and welcoming team at MMF was also an opportunity to hear about the experiences people have had in marine science. The MMF staff have many amazing stories about sights they’ve seen whilst out on survey, but also valuable advice to offer anyone wanting to get into the world of academic research. Chatting to MMF colleagues I have found that everyone took a different path to entering the marine science industry. Of course, there have been ins-and-outs of the internship. Sorting through images of dolphin fins for the most part of the day can get tedious. But being in a supportive environment and getting to break up the fin identification with fieldwork and other side-projects has made the internship worthwhile. Having had this experience, I can now see some form of academic research being a part of my career going forward. 

I would highly recommend anyone wanting experience working in conservation or applied marine research to apply for an internship at MMF. Getting to see the inner workings of a leading Australian marine mammal research and conservation organisation and to contribute to their work in a meaningful way has given me incredible insight for my future career.