Partnerships
Humboldt partners with two organizations that help students get experience in professional research settings.
CA Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
The HSU Fisheries Biology Program has a close partnership with the California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (CA Coop Unit). The Coop Unit program was established in 1935 in response to a recognized need for trained biologists and increased scientific analysis and skills in fish and wildlife management. The Coop Unit program initially began in just a few states, but the demonstrated success of those partnerships evolved into a well-respected nationwide program. Today, there are 40 Cooperative Research Units in 38 states.
The CA Coop Unit was established in 1967 with a three-part mission: (1) Conduct scientific research that benefits the fish and wildlife of California, their habitats, and ecosystems upon which they depend; (2) train fish and wildlife graduate students, through mentoring and teaching graduate level courses, to become competent natural resource scientists; and 3) to provide research information to natural resource managers and the public. The CA Coop Unit cooperators include Cal Poly Humboldt, the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
COOP Unit scientists contribute to academic programs at Humboldt through teaching, advising and supervising graduate student research. The CA Coop Unit, including a Unit Leader and an Assistant Unit Leader, both of whom are PhD level scientists and fully employed by the USGS. The Unit Leader and Assistant Leader each teach one senior/graduate student level fisheries class per academic year. Further, Unit scientists are the major advisors for a substantial number of graduate students, and the research and monitoring projects funded through the Coop Unit often provide ample opportunities for training and employment for our undergraduate students. They further contribute to the university community by participating on university committees and in other university functions.
Visit California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Website »
Humboldt-NMFS Cooperative Fisheries Oceanography Research Team
Since 2006, NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center has stationed Dr. Eric Bjorkstedt at Cal Poly Humboldt, where he actively serves as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Fisheries Biology. His research makes extensive use of the R/V Coral Sea and the Marine Lab in Trinidad to study effects of climate variability and change on marine ecosystems off northern California. He teaches a course in Fisheries Oceanography every other year, serves as Chair or Member on graduate students’ committees, and supports undergraduate education through guest lectures and research opportunities, and is an active member of the Fisheries faculty (e.g., attends weekly faculty meetings).
Dr. Bjorkstedt and his team participate in the the Pacific Coast Ocean Observing System (PaCOOS), which provides ocean information for the sustained use of the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem under a changing climate.
