News from the President and Board

Meet SMM President, Simon Goldsworthy

I have been a member of the SMM for over 30 years. After completing my BSc (1987) and PhD (1993) at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia), I undertook a Post-doctoral Research Fellowship with the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC). Since then, I have principally worked as a government scientist in multiple agencies, but also as an academic (La Trobe University, Melbourne), and am currently an Affiliate Professor with The University of Adelaide and Flinders University (South Australia). For almost two-decades I have worked as a Principal Scientist with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) in Adelaide (South Australia), where my research has focused on mitigating marine mammal interactions with fisheries and aquaculture, and the population and foraging ecology of recovering long-nosed fur seals, and the endangered Australian sea lion.

Within the SMM I have acted on the Board of Editors for Marine Mammal Science (2007- 2014), and on the SMM Board as a Member at Large (2010-2014), and most recently as President-elect (2020-2022). As President I wish to enhance the Society’s visibility, impact and the opportunities for members and students to communicate and promote their research. The world’s ecological and climate systems are facing unprecedented threats from human impacts, and the rapidity of change is placing extreme pressure on many marine mammal species and their ecosystems. I believe that at no time has the Society’s mission to promote the global advancement of marine mammal science and increase its relevance and impact in education, conservation and management been so important.

 

February 3, 2022

Recording of February 2, 2022 Inter-Conference Members’ Meeting

Aloha Everyone. Thanks to all of our members that were able to join us for the live portion of the member’s meeting.  For those of you that were unable to make it you can know watch the meeting on demand at the link below.  The topics on the agenda were the following: Welcome and 2021 […]

Read more

January 18, 2022

Members’ Meeting Reminder: February 2, 2022 at 18:00 GMT

Aloha SMM Members- This is a reminder that we will be hosting our Members’ Meeting online next week. We will give an update on our budget, explain some changes to our governing documents that will be on the March ballot, announce the winners for our inaugural Conservation Fund grants, and more.  We will also share […]

Read more

January 5, 2022

SMM Inter-Conference Members Meeting – February 2nd 1800 GMT

Aloha and Happy New Year SMM Members- The delay of the conference means we are overdue for an update to our members.  We would like to kick off the new year with an inter-conference meeting to give an update on our budget, explain some changes to our governing documents that will be on the March […]

Read more

November 18, 2021

Welcome to our new Ethics Committee Chair,  Dr. Karen Stockin and Aloha to Dr. Paul Nachtigall

Aloha, Dr. Paul Nachtigall will be stepping down after five years of guiding the SMM Ethics Committee.  His legacy of commitment to the SMM is worth mentioning again.  He presented his doctoral work at Ken Norris’ meeting in Santa Cruz in 1975, setting in motion  his strong involvement at the founding meeting in San Francisco […]

Read more

September 2, 2021

Dr. John Wang Receives the 2021 Society for Marine Mammalogy’s Conservation Merit Prize

Cetacean biologist heralded for over 30 years of research and conservation efforts. Every two years in the lead up to the Society for Marine Mammalogy conference, our Conservation Committee considers potential awardees for the Conservation Merit Prize. The Conservation Merit Prize is public recognition given to a person, team, or organization contributing toward solving a […]

Read more