Today at 7pm EST, Awesome Ocean Live hosts Eric & Erin will be speaking with the Dolphin Research Center’s Director of Education Kirsten Donald. To join in the discussion live tweet @1AwesomeOcean using the hashtag #DRCQA
Kirsten Donald is a marine mammal scientist and Director of Education for the Dolphin Research Center and the College of Marine Mammal Professions in Grassy Key, Florida. She earned her Master’s degree in Marine Mammal Science from University of Wales in Bangor, Wales UK.
Kirsten began her career with marine mammals through participating in DRC’s college accredited DolphinLab programs, along with volunteering at DRC. She has since worked for DRC for over 17 years, involved in various areas including education, conservation, program development, animal care and training, research and population management analyses.
Kirsten heads DRC’s educational efforts through onsite programs, distance learning and outreach. More recently she spearheaded the development of the College of Marine Mammal Professions, which offers the first degreed program in marine mammal behavior, care and training.
She has greatly assisted in fostering DRC’s philosophy of ‘experiential education’ – the belief that hands on experience with and around marine mammals and their environment creates a strong connection that results in better stewardship of both.
Kirsten serves on the Education and Population Management Task Force Committees of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. She has given presentations at AMMPA Education workshops, National Marine Science Educators’ Association and the Florida Marine Science Education Association conferences, as well as the International Marine Animal Trainer’s Association conference.
The mission of DRC is ,“Through education, research and rescue, Dolphin Research Center promotes peaceful coexistence, cooperation and communication between marine mammals, humans and the environment we share with the well being of DRC’s animals taking precedence.”
The Dolphin Research Center was founded as a nonprofit corporation in 1984 by Jayne Shannon-Rodriguez and Armando “Mandy” Rodriguez. Their goal was to ensure the dolphins had a home here for life, and in doing so to establish a unique education and research facility.
The Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions presently living here provide a range of personalities and backgrounds. Most of their Marine Mammal family was born at the Center, while the other members have either come from other facilities or were rescued, rehabilitated and deemed unreleasable back into the wild by the government.
They now have a forever home at Dolphin Research Center.