Dr Mike Bossley speaks with Stage 2 Digital Technology students

Dr Mike Bossley speaks with Stage 2 Digital Technology students

Dr Mike Bossley has been active in research, activism, and environmental education nationally and internationally for fifty years and has been studying the Port River Dolphins for more than 25 years. Mike came to speak to Stage 2 Digital Technology students about his non-invasive field research which has monitored and named about 30 to 40 resident dolphins that live in the Port River and has now identified more than 400 dolphins that have visited the area.

Students reflect:

“It was inspirational to see and hear how motivated he was about dolphins, especially for studying them for such a long time”. Mya A’Hang

“It was fascinating to hear how Mike identifies each dolphin by their fins, how he splits them into 4 quadrants and records the unique divots to identify the dolphins”. Sienna Rosenbauer

“I liked the ethical discussion about non-invasive versus invasive methods of data collection. If invasive methods are used for data collection and are highly likely to benefit the dolphins, should they be used, or not? I think that it would be best to use invasive methods if the outcome is to save more dolphins in the future. I also want to say, the session was really cool!” Siddhi Ahuja

Students aim to utilise knowledge gained from this experience in an upcoming data analytics assignment where they will use a range of data-collection tools, techniques, and methods to extract and interpret data sets on the Port Adelaide region. Then using their programming skills, they hope to develop a digital solution to solve a problem of interest.

Dr Mike Bossley has recently published a book called Dolphins, Whales and Me, which can be purchased online.

“ This book describes Mike’s epiphany watching dolphins bodysurfing with humans and goes on to describe his work in helping stop whaling in Australia and then reducing it worldwide, and how, as one of the founders of Greenpeace International, he helped the organisation evolve from a scattered band of eco-anarchists into the most powerful environmental organisation of the twentieth century” (https://moonglowpublishing.com.au/store/p17/dolphinswhalesandme.html#/ )

Ms Joanne Villis
Digital Technologies Coordinator


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