DUML, Bookhout 218
135 Duke Marine Lab Rd.
Beaufort, NC 28516
Phone: 252-504-7530
E-mail: vgt@duke.edu

Research Interests:

• Life history parameters of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Education:

• M.E.M., Duke University, 1982
• B.S., University of Connecticut, 1978
• Second Degree, University of Rouen, France, 1977

Bio:
My research interests focus on the bottlenose dolphin life history parameters such as reproductive seasonality, interbirth intervals, association and attendance patterns.  The communities of dolphins that spend time in eastern North Carolina are increasingly affected by coastal development, ecotourism and fishing. Longitudinal studies that examine these late-maturing and long-lived mammals provide much needed  baseline data that can inform policy decisions.  As humans continue to impact and change the environment, I feel that scientists can make a positive difference by not only publishing their results in peer-reviewed journals, but also by working with local communities through outreach and public education. A small group of us recently received funding to investigate bycatch rates in a small local fishery that targets striped mullet. 2006 will be the second year of this study to compare bycatch in 4"stretch mesh nets with bycatch in 8" stretch mesh nets.

Between my master's and PhD, I had two children and worked at the NMFS lab in La Jolla, CA participating in research cruises in the eastern tropical Pacific.  I also worked at the NMFS Beaufort Laboratory for 7 years as the NMFS NC Marine Mammal Stranding Representative, and saw many entanglements due to monofilament.  We recently started the NC Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program modeled after the very successful program in Florida. The National Science Foundation K-12, Scientists in the Schools program, and the National Marine Fisheries Service have helped fund my research.

Publications:

• Thayer, V. G., Read, A. J., Barco, S.G., Bowles, N.I., Colby, D. R., Dearolf, J.L., Friedlaender, A. S., Hohn, A. A., McLellan, W. A., Pabst, D. A., Russell, J. R., Rittmaster, K. A.  2003.  Reproductive seasonality of western Atlantic bottlenose dolphins off North Carolina, USA.   Marine Mammal Science 19:4 617-629.

Hobbies:
My husband, Keith Rittmaster (Duke University M.E.M. '81), works at the NC Maritime Museum as a natural science curator.  We have two daughters, aged 17 and 10, and two dogs and two cats.  We enjoy travel, running, yoga, surfing, sailing, and kayaking. Parenting is great but writing a dissertation with two kids is tough and requires a patient husband.