Every spring, Dr. Senko teaches SEA 400: “Sea turtles, sharks, and fisheries of Baja California”.
This 3-credit in-person study abroad program uses Baja California Sur, Mexico as a model system to study the relationships between marine megafauna (sea turtles, sharks, and marine mammals), small-scale fisheries, and coastal communities. The class meets weekly during the semester and travels to Dr. Senko’s study sites at La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico over spring break. Students get hands-on field experience with sea turtles and fisheries, while getting the opportunity to swim with whale sharks and sea lions, meet with local fishers and conservation practitioners, and spend a night camping on a remote island inhabited by a single fishing family deep in the Gulf of California.