We did it. We made it through another year and now here we are at the start of a fresh, new one. The days are getting longer (in the northern hemisphere at least) and everything seems just a little bit brighter. I am not one to make grand resolutions on the New Year, but it is certainly a period of new beginnings and unfolding opportunities. So it is with that spirit in mind that I will share with you some of the things that I am looking forward to in 2015:
1. The Alaska Marine Science Symposium
Each year in mid-January, the North Pacific Research Board puts on a conference in Anchorage and nearly everyone involved in marine science in Alaska gets together to share their research, talk, collaborate, and generally have a good time. I am looking forward to presenting a poster on some of the initial results of my PhD research.
2. Traveling to Barrow!
Sometime this summer, I will have the opportunity to spend around a month in Barrow, helping with the North Slope Borough's marine mammal stranding program and ideally gathering a few new samples for my dissertation work. I am still very unclear on what exactly this will entail, which makes it all the more exciting. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Barrow, look on a map for the tippy top bit at the farthest north part of Alaska. That's where I will be!
3. Publishing my M.S.
This one is a little more tentative, of course, as it requires a journal to accept my manuscript, but I am finally nearing a point where it is ready to submit. It feels like it has been a long time coming. I was second author on a note that came out in December in Marine Mammal Science (See it here), so this won't be my first publication. It will be my first, first-author publication and is much nearer to my heart, as it is the product of 4 years of hard work. Fingers crossed the reviewers are gentle.
In the end I'm sure the most exciting stuff will be the things I don't even know about yet, but those are a few examples of things I am looking forward to in 2015. I hope everyone has a great year ahead with many things to look forward to!
