Tara Sayuri Whitty, PhD

Current Events: Misguided attempts to revive Vaquita Conservation

You may have heard about the vaquita, a hapless little porpoise species in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico. It’s been one of the most high-profile marine conservation cases in recent months – its numbers had plummeted to the point where world experts in marine mammal conservation decided that the only hope for the species…

Some tips for aspiring conservation researchers

I often receive emails from aspiring students and researchers. Some want to work with me, others are more generally interested in advice about finding field jobs or grad school. It’s wonderful to get these messages and to see this enthusiasm! However, I am not currently in a position to take on any students or interns;…

In Deep Sea News: Beyond drug lords and conservationists…

…who is missing in the coverage of the vaquita’s demise? Vaquita conservation has been a hot topic (well, as far as endangered species go) in the news recently. But I’ve been troubled by the coverage, which rarely discusses the local communities. So, based on my team’s research in the Upper Gulf of California last year,…

Not in my country: From across the Pacific. With timeless words from Freya Stark. And some links.

Travel, if done thoughtfully, makes us feel more like citizens of the world rather than being defined by the perimeter of one country’s borders. Borders are irrelevant to my concern for the well-being of humanity. But the serious threats now facing progress, rights, and equality in my adopted country, the United States of America, have…

Linking Design Thinking and Social-Ecological Research in Mon State, Myanmar

Working with Point b Design + Training and the Marine Science Department at Mawlamyine University, I am (1) learning more about design thinking and human-centered research alongside graduate students and faculty in Point b’s “Human Centered Research Skills” course, and (2) collaborating with Marine Science faculty and a Point b intern on a pilot research…

The latch & beckoning

[Not the name of a hip, pretentious restaurant] As time cruises toward my moment departure for my next venture – a little over two months in Myanmar – the dual nature of a travel-filled life becomes more poignant, more sharp. Life at home is pleasant and joyful and comfortable… but I know there’s more out there…