Joe Day, M.S.

NOAA-EPP LMRCSC Master’s Fellow
M.S., Marine Science, Graduated May 2023
Savannah State University

Joe Day Jr. received his B.S. in Marine Science in Spring 2021. His undergraduate research focused on microplastics in estuarine systems in Georgia. During the summer of 2020, Joe participated in the Duke University Marine Lab REU program and completed a research paper titled, “Assessment of implantable tags on short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus),” mentored by Ms. Danielle Waples and Dr. Andrew (Andy) Read. He presented this research at the ASLO 2021 Aquatic Sciences Meeting in summer 2021.

Joe joined the SSU Dolphin Lab under Dr. Tara Cox in fall of 2021 as a Masters student. Joe’s research centered around marine mammal physiology, marine toxicology, spatial ecology, conservation biology, and evolutionary biology. He graduated with his Master’s degree in May 2023, and he plans to pursue a doctorate degree in marine mammalogy.

Research Theme: Healthy Habitats

NOAA LMRCSC Fellows attain the NOAA Core Competencies detailed in this rubric.


NERTO Title: Genetic Analysis of Tamanend’s Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops erebennus)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Dionne Hoskins-Brown

NOAA Mentor: Dr. Eric Archer, Dr. John Carlos Garza – NOAA SWFSC


Publications/Presentations

  1. Day, J., et al. 2023. Parentage analysis of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops erebennus) in estuarine waters near Savannah, GA and coastal waters off North Carolina. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium, April 2023, Mobile, AL. Oral.
  2. Day, J., Waples, D., Swaim, Z., Foley, H., Webster, D., Baird, R.W, and Read A. (2022). Assessment of Low-Impact Minimally-Percutaneous External-Electronics Transmitting Tags Deployed On Short-finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). 24th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammal Palm Beach County Convention Center West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. Video Presentation
  3. Day, J., Geiger, S.M, Ebanks S.C. (2022) Analyzing microplastic abundance in Spot Leiostomus xanthurus along Coastal Savannah, GA, USA. Presenting at Tenth Biennial NOAA EPP/MSI Education and Science Forum at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL. Oral Presentation. Presentation Date: April 6-8 ETA
  4. Day, J., Waples, D., Read, A., (2021). “Assessment of implantable tags on short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)” Accepted to present at ASLO 2021 Aquatic Sciences Meeting. June 2021. PowerPoint Presentation or Poster Presentation.
  5. Day, J., Geiger, S., Ebanks, S., (2020). Analyzing abundance of microplastics in Spot Leiostomus xanthurus and Atlantic Stingray Hypanus sabina. Accepted to present at the Tenth Biennial NOAA EPP/MSI Education and Science Forum at Florida A&M University. April 2020. Poster Presentation.
  6. Day, J., Geiger, S., Ebanks, S. (2020). “Analyzing microplastic abundance in common fish species along Coastal Savannah, GA, USA”. Accepted to present at Annual Research Conference at Savannah State University. April 2020. Poster Presentation.

NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center
University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Lead Institution)
(410) 651-7870
Award numbers: FY 2021 Award #NA21SEC4810005
Funding Agency: NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority-Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI)

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