I graduated in 1993 with a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Alaska. Between lecturing for the university and taking classes, in 1998 I received my M.S. in Statistics (interdisciplinary with mathematics). Areas of special interest were Bayesian hierarchical modeling, smoothing techniques, and categorical data analysis. My original interest in statistics was sparked by a desire to apply mathematical skills to fisheries and wildlife research. In fall of 1999, my family and I left Alaska for Seattle so that my wife could pursue her Ph.D. in Chemistry. Initially I worked in HIV/AIDS Research with a little bit of wildlife consulting on the side, but have recently managed to get back into fisheries and wildlife research full time. My CV is accessible here.
| Year | Population at Selected Locations | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aleutian Islands | Gulf of Alaska | Western Stock | |
| late 1970s | 69,838 | 40,042 | 109,880 |
| 1990 | 14,116 | 16,409 | 30,525 |
| 1996 | 12,434 | 9,789 | 22,223 |
| 2000 | 10,340 | 7,853 | 18,193 |
Currently, I work for Columbia Basin Research as a research consultant, studying population declines of Steller sea lions in the Bering Sea. This project is part of a larger collection of research on Steller sea lions, coordinated by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Steller sea lion populations in the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands having been declining sharply since the late 1970s (see table above, data from Sease 2000). We will study the fine scale interactions between sea lions and various fisheries, hopefully understanding the relationship between the two in more detail than is currently known.
While populations of Steller sea lions remain far below historical numbers, there is some hope. In many locations,
the current population trend is stable or increasing, or is declining at a slower rate than in the past.
The map to the left (click to enlarge)
shows estimated annual population trends at 54 rookeries (breeding areas) and sea lion haul-outs throughout Alaska
from 1985 through 2000. Earlier years are not included due to a lack of standardized methodology. Values are
estimated values from statistical analysis, not annual rates of change from raw count data. Red and orange represent
sites in decline, shades of blue represent sites with stable or increasing populations.
Prior to my current job, I worked as a biostatistician for the University of Washington Health Services Research Core at the University of Washington Center for AIDS Research, which specializes in outcomes research for HIV/AIDS patients. Following a large, longitudinal data set, such areas as health related quality of life, adherence to anti-retroviral and prophylaxis drug regimens, and Hepatitis C among HIV/HCV co-infected patients are studied. In addition to my university work, I have worked on side projects ranging from bat and bird research to a new approach for institution specific cost-effectiveness analyses.
Last updated: 8 May, 2003
