Written by MMRP PhD student Fiona-Elaine Strasser
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During my first trip to Antarctica working as a polar expedition guide, I expected a routine zodiac cruise in Paradise Bay in the Drake’s Passage. But moments after we started the cruise, soft blows echoed all around us, and suddenly, gliding calmly through the glassy waters, a group of humpback whales surfaced and passed directly by us. As I turned off the engine of my zodiac, I realized:
We were merely tiny spectators surrounded by dancing giants.
In that surreal moment, I was humbly reminded that it’s not enough to simply observe and admire the ocean’s beauty; we must also take an active role in protecting and preserving it.
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Growing up in the south of Germany, close to the Alps and miles away from the ocean, I never dared to dream of being able to travel to the 7th continent or study humpback whales. Today, I can share the story of my personal evolution from a land mammal to a marine mammal, so hang tight.
Stage 1: Dipping my feet in the water
I can vividly remember the first time I fell in love with whales. It was 2001, and I was only five years old, visiting La Rochelle Aquarium in France. Among the many exhibits, one experience stood out: hearing the enchanting whale song. I was mesmerized. It wasn’t just music; it was whales communicating, singing to one another across the vast ocean. Do you ever have memories that remain vividly clear, even though you were so young at the time? Whenever I think back, I remember so clearly standing there and hearing these whales sing.
Five-year-old me and the CD that sparked my dream to become a marine biologist.
That day marked the first crucial step in evolving from a land mammal into a marine mammal I was hooked. Like many children, I dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. But growing up in a landlocked part of southern Germany, pursuing this dream felt like an enormous challenge. Where or how would I even start? The ocean felt a world away, and the path to marine biology seemed anything but straightforward. Yet, with passion and persistence, I managed to stay true to my childhood dream.
Stage 2: Wading into Shallow Waters
My academic journey started far from the sea. I was not ready yet for a big jump to move far away from home, so I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in Salzburg, Austria. The Paris-Lodron University, just a two-hour trip from home, seemed like the perfect place to start building my foundational knowledge in the natural sciences. One of the major draws was the opportunity to spend up to a year abroad at one of its many partner universities—an impressive list that solidified my decision to pursue this degree. I had a clear vision in my mind: “I have to go abroad and study at a university close to the ocean”.
After living in Salzburg for two years and studying various ecosystems in Austria, I was able to travel to South Africa for my first exchange semester at Stellenbosch University. Those five months turned out to be my greatest adventure yet — a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience. The steep learning curve included mastering how to speak and write in English within a scientific context, pushing me to grow both academically and personally.
Left to right: On a field trip in the Austrian mountains; At Cape Agulhas, the most southern tip of Africa; Feeding a Wallaby in Australia
Once I got a taste for faraway places and living abroad, I didn’t want to stop. So I pursued the opportunity to spend another semester abroad, but this time in Australia. After only 6 weeks at home, a lot of paperwork, and visa issues, I was off to my next adventure: Adelaide, South Australia. The experience was equally eye-opening and formative, but also totally different.
This undergraduate journey, over three different continents, provided hands-on exposure to the struggles of growing up and taking care of yourself, while exploring completely new environments and cultures. Moving from a landlocked city to these coastal places, close to different marine ecosystems, solidified my dedication to studying the ocean’s wonders. A crucial step of my evolutionary path of becoming a marine mammal and dipping my toes into the marine world, finding my footing in marine science.
Stage 3: Diving Beneath the Surface
Hooked on visiting new universities and settling in new places, I wanted to continue. Nothing could have been a better fit than the Erasmus Mundus Masters program IMBRSea. Through this European program every semester I got to move to a new city and study marine biology at a new university. The program is organized by ten different universities and every student gets to choose their mobility every semester, based on the courses and specializations they want to focus their degree on. A perfect solution for a travel addict who wants to move to a new place every six months and become a marine biologist. My mobility tracks took me to universities in Portugal, Italy, and France. Unfortunately, COVID hit and a lot of the field courses and hands-on experiences had to be canceled. After two years of learning about the ocean largely on paper, I was more determined than ever to finally gain some hands-on experience. I gradually began to lose my footing on land, feeling an ever-growing pull to explore beneath the surface, driving my evolution toward becoming a true marine mammal.
Left to right: During lockdown, we fostered a puppy called Tungba ; I fell in love with life close to the ocean.
Stage 4: Exploring different marine environments
At the conclusion of my studies, I was handed a degree and officially could call myself a marine biologist. Mission accomplished? Kind of, but not really.
Yes, I was able to call myself a marine biologist now but to be honest, I didn’t truly feel like one. I gathered a lot of theoretical knowledge over both of my degrees but hadn’t really spent much time out on the water. Would I even be able to identify a humpback whale if I saw one?
Finishing my degree brought a sense of accomplishment, but at the same time marked the beginning of a time of feeling lost. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with my degree and life. Where could I go, what could I do to really make a difference? Do I want to pursue a PhD or work for an NGO? A lot of questions were floating around in my head and so I did a little bit of everything:
Once again, I packed my bags, this time for a 6-month adventure in the Azores Islands to work as a research associate with the Whale Lab - Cetacean Ecology Group at the Institute of Marine Research, University of Azores in Horta. Eager to deepen my hands-on experience in whale research, I reflected on the very reason that inspired my journey to become a marine biologist in the first place. This internship introduced me to behavioral cetacean research, with a focus on sperm whales. I developed new analytical skills by working with large DTAG and satellite datasets of sperm whales using RStudio to investigate fine-scale movement patterns, calculate utilization distribution, and center of activity. The fieldwork around the Azores Islands involved various data collection methods where I assisted with Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS, drone) photogrammetry to study the resident population of sperm whales, tagging sperm whales, taking biopsy samples with crossbows, and using VHF telemetry to successfully recover DTAG loggers. In the laboratory, I processed and preserved sperm whale biopsy samples.
Left to right: Graduation 2021; My home for six months: Horta, Faial Island; Out at sea in the Azores Islands.
During this time, I also earned my Dive Master certification and gained hands-on experience as a whale-watching and dive guide, where I discovered a strong passion for science communication. Sharing the knowledge I have gained with anyone who is curious, instills a new level of motivation for me. This experience ultimately inspired me to work as a polar expedition guide in both Arctic and Antarctic environments later on, which allowed me to travel to some of the most remote places on the planet like Svalbard, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia Islands. In this role, I delivered lectures on marine-related topics, facilitated engaging discussions with passengers, and navigated zodiacs through the pristine landscapes. Each moment spent in these breathtaking environments deepened my connection to the ocean and reinforced my commitment to marine conservation.
In parallel with my work in the Azores and on expedition ships, I took on a two-year role as an assistant to project management for the EU-funded EuroSea project, which focused on enhancing the sustainability of ocean observing, forecasting, and monitoring systems across Europe and beyond, while engaging the next generation of stakeholders. For two years I also served as Germany’s All-Atlantic Youth Ambassador, representing Early Career Ocean Professionals at international political events. I contributed to high-level conferences through speeches, interviews, and moderating sessions at prominent events such as the UN Ocean Decade's high-level kickoff in 2021 and the UN Ocean Decade conference in Barcelona in 2024. The experiences I gained in the policy world opened a whole new dimension to my science-focused career path and took a new spin. I am highly committed to advocating for the inclusion of young marine scientists in policy discussions.
Left to right: On a polar expedition in Svalbard, Norway; At the UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelone 2024; At the EuroSea Symposium on Ocean Observing and Forecasting in Paris 2023.
During this time, I explored different waters to find the environments that aligned most with my mission and purpose. This journey gave me important insights into the evolutionary adaptations I needed to become the marine mammal I want to be.
Stage 5: Evolving into a marine mammal
The summer of 2023 brought an unforgettable moment. While on holiday in France with my best friend Alina, I received an email about an open call for a PhD position at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, working with the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) and Alaska Whale Foundation (AWF) studying humpback whales in Alaska. Wait, what??
I had to read it twice to really believe it. It seemed almost too good to be true. I knew I had to apply to it, but at this point, I quickly dismissed it as a dream that was unlikely to become reality. While submitting my application, I tried to forget about it, preparing myself for the possibility of a disappointing response.
Well, here I am writing this blog, so guess what? To my great surprise, my dream has come true! Even now, I am still in awe that I get to embark on this incredible adventure, contributing to marine mammal science and becoming a true marine biologist — all while studying the very whales that ignited this entire journey. Am I really leaving the land behind to become a fully-grown marine mammal?
Stage 6: Growing a fluke - adapting to new marine environments
In preparation for the PhD, I joined Lewis Evans during his fieldwork off of the coast of the Big Island earlier this year (spring 2024) learning all things fieldwork. Day after day, we set out in search of humpback whales and came across a lot of marine life such as spinner dolphins, sperm whales, and even elusive species like beaked whales. Fieldwork is exhilarating yet exhausting, but with every new sighting, the fatigue fades into the background. Those months in Hawaii prepared me not just for the research ahead, learning how to fly a drone and collect UAS photogrammetry data on humpback whales, but also for the physical demands of life in the field.
Next, I ventured to Sitka, Alaska, where I worked alongside MMRP partner Alaska Whale Foundation to collect UAS photogrammetry data on humpback whales returning to their feeding grounds. The cold Alaskan environment offered a stark contrast to Hawaii, but the beauty of working in such a pristine and biodiverse area made the challenge worthwhile. My experiences in the field helped solidify that this was no longer a distant dream — it was becoming my reality.
Left to right: The amazing field team out in the field off of the Big Island, Hawai’i; Flying the drone in Sitka, Alaska.
And here I am, after months of preparation back at home in Germany, I have finally arrived on Oahu, my new island home. And slowly but surely I feel like I am continuously evolving, growing a fluke and maximizing my breath-holding capacity to one day be a fully grown marine mammal (aka marine scientist 😉).
Research Focus: Uncovering the Health of Humpback Whales
My research is focused on understanding the intricate relationships between marine ecosystems and the species that depend on them, particularly humpback whales. The heart of my work lies in examining how ocean conditions and foraging behaviors influence the body condition of humpback whales in Southeast Alaska in partnership with the Alaska Whale Foundation as an MMRP PhD student and Alaska Whale Foundation Graduate Fellow. By analyzing changes in whale health, assessing prey availability, and modeling diet compositions, I hope to offer insights that can inform marine conservation strategies and better understand the impact of climate change on these iconic animals.
Fieldwork in southeast Alaska.
My work combines traditional field techniques with cutting-edge tools like drones to gather precise measurements of whale body condition. By merging population data with environmental variables, I aim to contribute to a growing understanding of how humpback whales fit into the broader marine ecosystem.
Looking Forward
As I continue my journey, I remain committed to advocating for the inclusion of young scientists in shaping marine policy. We are the next generation of ocean stewards, and our voices are critical in guiding the future of marine conservation. Whether through research, public outreach, or contributing to international discussions, I hope my work can inspire others to protect the ocean and its inhabitants.
The road to becoming a marine biologist has been anything but straightforward, but I wouldn't trade a single challenge. From whale songs in a museum to fieldwork in the depths of Alaska, this journey has been the fulfillment of a lifelong dream — and it's just beginning.
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