WOMEN IN SEABIRD SCIENCE
Ginger Rebstock
she/her, they/them
Research Scientist
Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, University of Washington
Discipline
Behaviour, Conservation, Population Dynamics, Reproductive Biology & Life History, Migration & Movement Ecology
Regional Focus
Chubut Province, Argentina
Years Active
More than 20 years
Species Focus
Penguins (Spheniscidae)
Tell us about your work with seabirds.
I study all aspects of Magellanic penguin behavior and ecology. As part of a long-term study, I train new students and volunteers in the field, analyze data, write papers and reports, and write field research protocols. With a background in oceanography, I'm particularly interested in penguin behavior at sea, and have attached various types of tracking tags to penguins to learn what they do in their at-sea lives. I love being in the penguin colony and watching penguin behavior, which always surprises me. I'm inspired by the next generation of seabird scientists.
What advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to pursue a career as seabird scientists?
Be persistent. Be creative. There are opportunities in surprising places; be open to them. If you're still in school (whatever level), learn all you can about math, statistics, and all the sciences (not just biology/ecology). Those will help set you apart from many other candidates for seabird jobs. As one of my undergraduate mentors told me, if you can't imagine doing anything else, you will find a way.
Ginger at the Punta Tombo Magellanic penguin colony in Chubut, Argentina, in full field gear. Ginger studied penguins at this colony for 23 years.
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