SCHOLARSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES
for EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS
EARLY CAREER SCIENTIST WORKSHOPS
MOVEMENT ECOLOGY WORKSHOP
DECEMBER 5 - 11, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Nigel Hussey and Dr. Matthew Smukall​
This workshop is best suited for participants hoping to incorporate movement ecology methods into their research projects. Movement ecology have become increasingly popular in recent decades, however there are significant financial, practical and logistical aspects that need to be considered. This workshop will cover these topics and help to prepare participants to determine which movement ecology methods, if any, are best suited for their research goals.
CONSERVATION POLICY WORKSHOP
FEBRUARY 3 - 9, 2027
Instructors: Dr. Mark Bond and Dr. Matthew Smukall
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This workshop is best suited for participants interested in bridging the gap between field research and conservation policy. There is often a disconnect of how to transform important and meaningful research findings into impactful improvements to policies on both a local and international scale. This workshop will cover the processes and challenges of international policy frameworks, highlight successful milestones, and discuss areas that still need continued work.
WORKSHOP
DESCRIPTION
The goal of these workshops are to help Early Career Scientists to understand the processes involved with research project design, logistical considerations, operations, and applying outputs towards conservation. The Bimini Shark Lab has decades worth of research experience in the region, and these will be used as focal real world examples. The area surrounding Bimini has a diverse assemblage of marine ecosystems and species. The workshops and lectures will be paired with multiple immersive field trips which will allow the participants to fully appreciate the complexity of healthy marine ecosystems and experience habitats that they may not have the opportunity to see at home. For example, discussions of habitat use will be paired with visits to various seagrass, mangrove, or reef ecosystems to see the assemblage of species and the complexity of the marine ecosystem. Conversations about anthropogenic disturbances will be paired with visiting the local area being developed for an expanded resort, and observe the impact to adjacent ecosystems and species. Over the course of the week, we aim to balance field trips with lectures / discussions, as well as allow time for participants to experience the culture of Bimini.
The December 2026 workshop will be co-instructed by Dr. Matthew Smukall and visiting collaborator Dr. Nigel Hussey. Originally from the United Kingdom, Dr. Hussey completed his graduate field research at the Bimini Shark Lab. He is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Windsor in Canada. He has a diverse background in both marine and freshwater research, investigating movement ecology topics. He has decades of experience in designing projects involving telemetry, stable isotope analysis, and other commonly used methodologies. He will share his knowledge on the challenges of field work, logistical limitations of research methods, and practicality of project designs.
The February 2027 workshop will be co-instructed by Dr. Matthew Smukall and visiting collaborator Dr. Mark Bond. Originally from the United Kingdom and South Africa, Dr. Bond has vast international experience with marine research projects including a stint at the Bimini Shark Lab. He is now a Research Assistant Professor at Florida International University and works internationally on the conservation of sharks and rays. A major focus of his work is to use research to improve conservation through international policy frameworks. He will share his experiences with the participants in order to improve their understanding of the processes and challenges for turning meaningful research findings into policy changes.
Dr. Matt Smukall
Dr. Nigel Hussey
Dr. Mark Bond
Example Workshop Classroom Activities:
1. Identify the environmental issue of concern (i.e., marine protected area, species conservation, fishing sustainability, etc.) and discuss the potential methods for developing a research project.
2. Identify the casual pathways affecting the issue (development, pollution, overfishing). Habitat destruction and overfishing for the fin trade has been a major driver of population decline in sharks, which will be discussed for conservation implications.
3. Determine what types of datasets are informative for the focal conservation goal (movement, habitat use, species abundance, composition, etc.). A lecture will focus on research techniques commonly used in marine science research and the data these can provide.
4. Determine what data is available and what still needs to be assessed. If data already exists, limited funding and effort should be focused on addressing data gaps.
5. Communicate results through presentations and draft reports. How can reports be turned into action? Discuss various management approaches from local MPAs to multi-national treaties and agreements, cover the fisheries management plans and examples of CITES, IUCN etc.
6. At the conclusion of the course, participants will be asked to present an example conservation project they would like to undertake in their home area, and the research process they would use for this project.
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Workshop Field Activities*:
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Interacting with juvenile lemon sharks in pristine mangrove habitat
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Snorkelling with free swimming blacktip sharks, lemon sharks and nurse sharks
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Interacting with southern stingrays on a white sand beach
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Snorkelling coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats
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Snorkelling with sea turtles at the famous SS Sapona shipwreck
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Potential encounters with spotted eagle rays, Atlantic spotted dolphins, or bottlenose dolphins and more marine wildlife
(*all activities are weather and tidal dependent)
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Shark Lab hosts hundreds of students each year and it is has become apparent that there is a lack of practical and applied opportunities for many young scientists to continue their career growth following graduation from universities. Many early career scientists find the job search challenging and requirements of entry level jobs to be daunting. They are often expected to have ‘real-world’ experience, but there are limited opportunities to acquire these necessary and desired skills. For example, young scientists may be expected to conduct field activities, handle data entry, work through analysis of datasets, or prepare draft reports, however they may have not yet had an opportunity to gain experience with these tasks. Therefore, early career scientists can find it difficult to gain entry in science jobs and to advance in their field.
Research methods, technology, and analytical tools are constantly evolving in science and conservation, and there is a need for early scientists to have the opportunity to be involved in workshops that expose them to these methods. In addition, many scientists and conservationists work for small non-profits, non-governmental organizations, or governmental agencies where the availability for mentoring of younger scientists can be limited.
To help provide this valuable career development, the Bimini Shark Lab has partnered with the McPike-Zima Foundation to offer two Early Career Scientist Workshops. Each workshop will provide scholarships for up to 14 participants for each 6 night / 7 day course in Bimini, The Bahamas. The course includes roundtrip travel from Ft Lauderdale, Florida and South Bimini, food, lodging, and field activities. See eligibility requirements below.
ELIGIBILITY
For the purposes of this workshop, early career scientists are defined as individuals within the first five years of graduating with their terminal degree. Current students will not be eligible for this program.
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This opportunity is intended to strengthen and build upon the analytical and research design skills typically acquired during undergraduate studies. As such, participants must hold a degree in the biological sciences (marine biology, ecology, environmental science, zoology, or a related field). There are no specific age restrictions, nor is an advanced graduate degree required.
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The course will be conducted in English. However, we are committed to creating an inclusive learning environment and will adapt the pace and content to support participants for whom English is not a first language.​
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This workshop is open to participants from anywhere in the world, however all participants must be able to transit through the United States, as travel to Bimini and emergency transport are routed through the U.S. (Note: Bahamian participants will have the option of traveling via Nassau or Grand Bahama.) The BBFSF is unable to assist with any Visa applications, and it is the responsibility of the participant to make sure all relevant travel requirements for US and Bahamas entry are completed and complied with. A valid passport book with a minimum of 6 months before the expiration date is mandatory.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
The scholarship will include:
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Round trip charter flights from Fort Lauderdale (Tropic Ocean Airways at Sheltair) to Bimini International Airport (BIM). (Exceptions made for Bahamian scholars who will fly to/from Nassau or Grand Bahama)
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Accommodations will be shared with fellow scholars at the Bimini Shark Lab (2 twin bunk beds per room, 2 shared bathrooms and shared common areas).
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Breakfast, lunch and dinners will be prepared for you by our station crew. While we are able to accommodate vegetarian meals, unfortunately we are unable to provide vegan meals or accommodate specialty diets. Due to the limited medical facilities on Bimini, we are unfortunately unable to safely host people with major medical conditions or potentially life threatening allergies.
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Course instruction and all field activities​​​
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While we aim to make this opportunity as all inclusive as possible, the following is not included in the scholarship:
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Airfare to/from Fort Lauderdale from your location (we encourage applicants to apply for travel grants where possible)
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Meals/Accommodations prior to arrival in Bimini and after departure from Bimini
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Additional snacks, drinks, or extra meals out while in Bimini
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Personal equipment such as: Laptop/computer, snorkel gear
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Travel Insurance (DAN insurance and SafetyWing insurance are affordable options we recommend) - Travel insurance with repatriation to your home country is REQUIRED.​
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REMINDER: Participants will be staying at the field station and must be comfortable sharing dorm style rooms and be comfortable with dogs (2 in-house). Due to the limited medical facilities on Bimini, we are unfortunately unable to safely host people with major medical conditions or potentially life threatening allergies.
The course will include long days in the field, including changing weather (hot sun, wind, wet, cold, or rain), snorkelling & swimming in open water, and boating in changing ocean waters (may have choppy and rolling conditions). Participants should be able to safely board and disembark from small boats using a small step ladder, and navigate steps between the dock and the boat, with or without assistance as needed.
For the safety of all involved, participants must be comfortable on small boats and swimming in open water.
SUBMIT APPLICATION
Please be prepared to submit TWO professional letters of recommendation along with your CV/Resume to the application. Application form must be filled out entirely in order to complete the submission.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: We expect to learn about you from YOU in this application form. Any obvious use of AI to complete answers on this application will result in immediate disqualification.​
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Applications must be complete and submitted by no later than JUNE 30th, 2026 at 11:59PM EST in order to be considered. ONLY selected applicants will be contacted by email on or before August 30th, 2026. Please note, we are unable to provide feedback on individual applications.
