Dr. Renee Albertson
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Dr. Renee Albertson has built a career that reflects both the global nature of marine mammal research and the personal growth that comes with working abroad. She is currently a Professor of Teaching and Research Affiliate at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute, where she teaches courses focused on marine mammals while continuing to conduct research and collaborate with colleagues around the world. Her path into international research began after completing her bachelor’s degree and starting her teaching career, when she was presented with the opportunity to experience whale research firsthand in Moorea, French Polynesia. Although she had always been interested in animals and travel, this opportunity ultimately shaped her career, leading her to pursue a master’s focused on humpback whales in Southern Hemisphere breeding grounds and later a PhD on Rough Toothed dolphins through a worldwide study at Oregon State University. Much of her work was based in French Polynesia alongside her mentor Dr. Michael Poole, with early lab work conducted at the University of Auckland in New Zealand due to permitting challenges before later
continuing at OSU. Through these experiences, she developed long term collaborations across the South Pacific and a perspective that continues to shape her work today despite how large the world may seem, both scientific communities and whale migratory routes are deeply interconnected, reinforcing the importance of global collaboration when working with species that do not recognize international borders.
Her early experience in Moorea also gave her a realistic understanding of what it means to work in marine mammal research. Before ever stepping into the field, she spent long hours behind a computer reconciling humpback whale fluke identification catalogs, learning that the work is not just time spent on boats having incredible encounters, but is grounded in detailed, often repetitive analysis. Her mentor emphasized the importance of understanding both sides of the field, reinforcing that it is not “all rainbows and whales,” even if the mist from a whale’s spout can occasionally create one. At the same time, working in such remote environments came with challenges that pushed her far beyond her comfort zone. Language barriers, cultural differences, and unpredictable environmental conditions were a constant, with English often not being an option and requiring her to learn French while adapting to long, hot, and humid field days alongside tropical weather. These experiences not only built resilience and independence, but also shaped how she approaches both research and collaboration.
Living and working across the islands of French Polynesia also deepened her understanding of the role that local communities play in conservation. In many of the more remote regions, generational knowledge reflects a deep connection to land, water, and wildlife, and she found that meaningful research requires working alongside these communities and valuing their perspectives. Over the course of several years, including during her PhD when she conducted work across all five archipelagos, she carried out marine mammal assessments while also engaging in outreach through bilingual blogs and presentations to local communities, often in French. These experiences reinforced the importance of communication and accessibility in science, while also shaping her perspective on how knowledge is shared and applied. Spending extended time in these regions also allowed her to witness change over time, particularly in places like Moorea, where increasing tourism and consumerism have begun to impact traditional ways of life, further emphasizing the importance of preserving both ecological systems and cultural connections to them.
Her time in these remote environments also brought moments that ranged from unexpected to extraordinary.
While working in the Marquesas archipelago, known for its steep cliffs, she recalls a moment when, instead of
encountering whales or dolphins, she watched a baby goat attempting to climb a cliff to rejoin its herd, an experience
that was quite stressful at the time but has since become a memorable and funny story to think back to. In contrast,
she also experienced remarkable wildlife encounters, including studying large groups of Melon Headed whales, sometimes numbering over 300 individuals, which would return to a sheltered bay like clock work each morning after foraging offshore at night, providing a rare opportunity for observation. These experiences, both related and unrelated to her research, reflect the unpredictability of fieldwork and the unique moments that come with working in such unique environments.
As her research continued, her work also connected her to a broader academic network, including collaboration with Dr. Scott Baker on humpback whale genetics. When he later moved from the University of Auckland to Oregon State University, her path unexpectedly circled back closer to home, highlighting a recurring theme in her career, the interconnectedness of both people and places. This perspective extends beyond research and into how she views her experiences abroad more broadly. Through cultural immersion, she gained insight not only into different ways of life but also into how people communicate, observing a level of respect and openness that she has since incorporated into how she engages with others, particularly when working with stakeholders who may hold differing perspectives. She emphasized that while it is possible to learn about cultures and environments through reading, it is entirely different to experience them firsthand, and that traveling brings a sense of humility by placing individuals outside of their own cultural norms in a way that cannot be taught, only experienced.
When offering advice to others hoping to work abroad, she keeps it simple: just do it. While there is always uncertainty, the experience is invaluable, and much of who she is today has been shaped by what she learned and experienced during her time abroad. Now, as a professor, she hopes to create similar opportunities for others by developing a study abroad program in Mexico focused on gray whales, allowing students to gain firsthand experience while learning from local communities. She also emphasizes the importance of mentorship in shaping her journey, crediting individuals such as Dr. Scott Baker, her graduate advisor at OSU; Dr. Michael Poole, who led her fieldwork in French Polynesia; Craig Hayslip of the OSU Marine Mammal Institute field team; and Robin Baird, a collaborator she continues to work with in Hawaiʻi, all of whom played a significant role in her development as both a scientist and person.