Experimenting with Photo-identification Software

About the Project:

Field biologists use photo-identification of individual animals to estimate population size and make observations on behaviors and association patterns. Though quite effective, the manual process is time consuming, particularly when large collections of images are involved. The Digital Analysis and Recognition of Whale Images on a Network (DARWIN) system is an application program, developed by undergraduate students at Eckerd, to automate the photo-identification process. It is currently in use by research groups around the world. Research assistants will test the software with collections of dorsal fin images or bear head profiles to assess performance improvements due to changes in the software. Opportunities to research and implement new methods for comparison are also possible.

The First-Year Research Associate Program at Eckerd College honors academically outstanding students with awards of up to $1,000. The program also provides the opportunity, during the freshman year, for the award winners to work closely with a sponsor (faculty or administrative personnel) on a project of mutual interest. Associates might assist with research for faculty publication or new courses, conduct scientific experiments, work with creative artists, or develop projects related to any phase of the academic, cultural, and social life of the college. Scholars are selected on the basis of achievement in high school and on the creativity and depth of responses to items on this application.​

Online submission due no later than February 1, 2021.