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About Scott A. Shaffer

My research focuses on the ecology and conservation of birds and mammals, especially marine species. Underlying themes include studies that examine the links between foraging behavior, energy expenditure, at-sea distribution, and predator-prey interactions. This research uses a variety of techniques including isotopic tracers, heart rate loggers, and respirometry to measure energy expenditure, and state of the art electronics like GPS loggers, satellite telemetry, archival geolocation data loggers, and VHF radio tags to study foraging behavior, activity, distribution, and habitat use of free-ranging animals.

Positions

2017 - Present Professor, San Jose State University Biological Sciences
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2013 - 2017 Associate Professor, San Jose State University Biology
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Curriculum Vitae


Disciplines



Grants

2017 Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Colleague(s): L.G. Torres, R.O. Orben, and J. Adams
$73,051
2017 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant
San José State University
$6,000
2016 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant
San José State University
$6,000
2015 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant
San José State University
$6,000
2015 US Fish and Wildlife Service Grant
US Fish and Wildlife Service; University of California, Santa Cruz
$10,000
2014 North Pacific Research Board Grant
North Pacific Research Board; University of California, Santa Cruz
Colleague(s): R. Parades, R.A. Orben, and S. Kitaysky
$216,738
2014 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant
San José State University
$4,958
2013 National Geographic Society Grant
National Geographic Society
Colleague(s): H.S. Young
$13,980
2012 California State University Program for Education & Research in Biotechnology
California State University
Colleague(s): E.C. Kelsey
$11,000
2012 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Grant
University of California, Santa Cruz; CESU – US Fish and Wildlife Service
$23,500
2011 Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative Grant
Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative; University of California, Santa Cruz
Colleague(s): E.L. Hazen
$77,867
2011 Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Grant
San José State University
$4,949
2010 California State University Research Mini-Grant
California State University, San José State University
$4,678
2010 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Grant
University of California, Santa Cruz; CESU – US Fish and Wildlife Service
$53,378
2009 California Sea Grant Supplement
California Sea Grant
Colleague(s): J.W. Moore and S. H. Hayes
$3,000
2009 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Grant
CESU – US Fish and Wildlife Service
$29,081
2009 National Marine Fisheries Service Grant
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
$10,000
2009 National Marine Fisheries Service Grant
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
$4,000
2008 Moore Foundation Grant
Moore Foundation, Stanford University
Colleague(s): D.P. Costa
$539,932
2008 US Fish and Wildlife Service Grant
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Colleague(s): L.S. Young, K.D. Hyrenbach, and R.M. Suryan
$33,000
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Professional Service and Affiliations

2013 - Present Contributing Editor, Marine Ecology Progress Series
2010 - Present Representative for San José State University, Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST)
2010 - Present Member, Campus Planning Board, San José State University
2001 - Present Member, North Pacific Albatross Working Group
1995 - Present Member, Pacific Seabird Group
1999 - 2017 Member, Ecological Society of America
2014 - 2015 Member, Department Retention, Tenure, and Promotion Committee, San José State University
1999 - 2012 Member, American Ornithologist Union
2009 Science Officer - Public Outreach, Seymour Discovery Center, Long Marine Lab, Santa Cruz
2008 Member, 3rd International Symposium on Biologging Science Organizing Committee, International Bio-logging Society
2008 Public Outreach, National Geographic Magazine
2007 Member, Conference Organizing committee, Pacific Seabird Group
1998 - 2006 Member, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, University of California - Santa Cruz
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Honors and Awards

  • Provost’s University Scholar - San José State University – 2013
  • Elton Prize – British Ecological Society, Journal of Animal Ecology - 2001
  • Annual Outstanding Student Achievement Award - Ocean Sciences Dept., University of California, Santa Cruz - 2000
  • Best Student Paper - Pacific Seabird Group conference - 2000
  • Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Award - National Science Foundation - 1999

Courses

  • Functional Morphology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology
  • Principles of Biology II
  • Seminar in Spatial Ecology
  • Foundations in Molecular Biology and Physiology
  • Physiological Ecology Lab
  • Physiological Ecology
  • Foundations in Biodiversity

Education

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2000 Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz ‐ Biology
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1996 M.S., University of California, Santa Cruz ‐ Marine Sciences
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1993 B.S., San Diego State University ‐ Biology
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Contact Information

Scott.Shaffer@sjsu.edu

Email:



Publications (90)