About Us
Todd Gedamke, PhD Founder/Director
Dr. Todd Gedamke received a B.A. in Biology from Colgate University in 1990 and an M.S. and PhD from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in 2002, and 2006 respectively. His research focused on gear efficiency and stock assessment in the commercial scallop fishery of New England, while also developing data limited assessment models and evaluating the status of the barndoor skate. Todd began working as a stock assessment scientist at NMFS at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, FL and in 2010 was promoted to Branch Chief of Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries and oversaw stock assessments for both regions. He received the 2012 Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award “For advancing fisheries science in the U.S. Caribbean by pioneering an innovative, cost-effective, and collaborative survey approach
Our Collaborators
Dr. John Hoenig
Virginia Institute of Marine Science – College of William and Mary
Professor Emeritus
Specialties: Fisheries Statistics, Stock Assessment, Methods Development, Survey Design
Dr. Aaron Rice, Ph.D
Cornell University
Principal Ecologist, K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Faculty Fellow, Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability
Cornell Graduate Faculty, Graduate Field of Natural Resources
Specialties: Conservation Technology, Bioacoustics, Protected Species Assessments
Dr. Shyam Madhusudhana
Cornell University
Post-Doc at Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Specialties: Signal processing, Deep/Machine Learning, Big Data and Modern Computing
Dr. Juan Motta
University of Puerto Rico
Associate Professor
Executive Director of Caribbean Coral Reef Institute
Specialties: Quantitative Ecologist, Experimental Design, Biostatistics
Dr. Jeremy Prince
Murdoch University, Western Australia
Adjunct PRofessor
Creator – Barefoot Ecologist Toolbox
Biospherics P/L – Research Director
Specialties: Small-scale/Data Poor specialist, Methods Development, Community Engagement
Peter Freeman
University of Rhode Island
Marine Research Associate
Lead PI on USAID OurFish Our Future – Pacific Wide Fisheries Community Engagement
Specialties: Resource Economics, Decision analysis, MPA’s and Spatial Planning, Complex Logistics, Technology Development
Dr. Joy Young
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – Assistant Research Scientist
Fisheries Data Solutions -Founder/president
FACT Network – Organizing member current Coordinator
Specialties: Acoustic Telemetry Big Data, Movement Ecology, Fish Health, Research Facilitator
Dr. Derek Soto
Oceanology LLC – Founder/President
Project Manager – MER Puerto Rico
Specialties: Coral Reef ecology, Population Genetics, Complex Project Logistics
Miguel "Bebé" Rivera
Commercial Fisher
Pastillo, Puerto Rico
Specialties: Trap Lobster Fishing, Lobster Selectivity EM Cooperative Project, Conch Free-diver
Dr. Bill Harford
President – Nature Analytics
Specialties: Data-Limited Stock Assessments, Management Strategy Evaluation, Data Visualization Tools
Alex Soto
Commercial Fisher
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Specialties: Trap and Lobster Fishing, Lobster Selectivity EM Cooperative Project
ANTHONY CRESPO
Rincon, Puerto Rico Commercial Fisher Port Sampler
Specialties: Smart Sampling Station Port Sampling, Fishing Effort Surveys, Deep-water Snapper Fishery
Data Limited Specialists with
Global Experience in
Small-Scale and
Industrial Fisheries
Our Boat
Cool Change is a 1997 Lagoon 37, designed for long distance cruising with exceptional quality in her manufacturing and roomy living areas. She drafts 3’ 6” (1.07m), allowing her to go into shallower water than boats similar in size. Built in 1996 by Tillotson Pearson in Rhode Island, she is one of the last made in the United States.
MER uses the Cool Change as a live aboard field station when implementing projects in remote locations. Cool Change has sailed the Florida Atlantic Coast, Bahamas, Belize, Bahamas, Mexico, Turks and Caicos Islands, USVI, BVI, Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Mexico.
It’s used as a vessel of opportunity when traveling, dropping Vemco acoustic receivers in the water in the remotest of places. Our most recent adventure was a return trip to Puerto Rico to implement a large scale sampling program in the US Caribbean.
Organizations We've Worked With
