Specialised trainings attended 

In the summer of 2025, I spent five intensive weeks at Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL) at the University of Washington, taking part in a specialist training course on fish swimming, behaviour, and environmental physiology. The course brought together students and early-career researchers from diverse backgrounds, all sharing an interest in how fish move, respond to stress, and interact with their environment.

The training combined theory with hands-on research. We learned how to design swimming experiments, record fish movement, and link behaviour to physiology and performance. A major focus was on understanding how endurance, speed, and fatigue shape how fish cope with environmental challenges. These are questions that matter for ecology, conservation, and climate change research.

As part of the course, I worked in a small group on a research project using Shiner Perch (Cymatogaster aggregata). Over several weeks, we observed their swimming performance under controlled conditions and explored ideas around endurance and exhaustion. The goal was not just to collect data, but to learn how to ask clear questions, handle live animals responsibly, and work through the full research process as a team.

Because the work is ongoing, I am keeping the detailed results offline for now. We are still completing further statistical analyses and plan to present the findings at conferences and submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal in 2026.

Beyond the research itself, FHL was a unique place to learn. Being surrounded by the sea, with access to live fish and specialist facilities, made the training very different from standard lab-based courses. The tutors were experienced scientists in fish biomechanics and behaviour, and their guidance shaped both our project and our thinking.

This experience has already influenced how I plan my PhD research at the University of Manchester. The skills I gained in swimming performance tests, experimental design, and behavioural analysis will feed directly into my work on how environmental stressors affect fish health.

Overall, the course was challenging, rewarding, and formative. I’m grateful to Friday Harbor Laboratories for hosting me, to the tutors and fellow participants for a supportive learning environment, and to the funding bodies that made this training possible. I look forward to sharing more once the work is presented and published.