advising-talk-notes

Advising Talk Summary

  • Date: 2/27/2026

  • Platform: Coconote - https://coconote.app

Student's Research Preferences

  • Preference for one-year research project focused on:

    • Hands-on field observation rather than long-term lab projects.

  • Strong interests include:

    • Environmental education

    • Animal behavior

    • Conservation

Potential Project Avenues

  • Fisheries/Estuarine Nursery Habitat Impacts on Parental Behavior

    • Study the effects of estuarine mangrove/coral nursery loss on parental or juvenile fish behavior.

    • Link marine protected areas (MPAs) and nursery habitat preservation to behavioral changes.

  • Comparative Behavioral Observation

    • Observe parental and social behaviors across megafauna (e.g., sea lions, dolphins, terrestrial mammals) and relate these observations to child development analogies.

  • Nursery Habitat Impact On Parental Behavior (Fisheries)

    • Study how estuarine mangrove/coral nursery loss affects parental or juvenile behavior in fish.

    • Link marine protected areas (MPAs) and nursery habitat preservation to behavior changes.

  • Comparative Behavioral Observation

    • Observe parental and social behaviors across megafauna (sea lions, dolphins, terrestrial mammals) and relate to child development analogies.

Open Questions

  • Does Gorka currently have capacity and projects that align with the student’s interest in behavioral observation or nursery-habitat research?

Advisor Options and Contacts Discussed

  • Primary Advisor: Gorka

    • Specialization in fisheries and marine protected areas (MPAs).

several specific topics were recommended for your conversation with Gorka to explore potential research projects that align with your interests and his expertise:

  • Parental Behavior and Nursery Habitat Loss:
    Investigate how the loss of nursery habitats such as mangroves, estuaries, or coral reefs affects parental behavior in fish and possibly other marine species. This links to his work on marine protected areas (MPAs) and fish behavior.

  • Marine Protected Areas (MPAs):
    Discuss how MPAs function as nursery habitats and whether you could study behavioral ecology within these protected zones.

  • Fisheries Ecology and Behavior:
    Explore projects related to fish behavior and ecology, especially in relation to environmental changes like sea level rise or climate change impacting nursery habitats.

  • Hands-on Field Observation:
    Emphasize your preference for field-based observational research, such as observing behavior in estuarine ecosystems for example, rather than purely lab-based or long-term projects.

  • Project Timeline:
    Ensure any potential project fits your desired timeline of approximately one year.

The advisor also suggested looking into how climate change or environmental stressors alter parental or nursery behavior in fish species within estuarine or coastal ecosystems, which aligns well with Gorka's research focus.

Having this focused discussion with Gorka will help identify if he has relevant ongoing projects or can support a new one-year behavioral observation study that fits your passion and practical constraints

First: Parental Behavior

Important reality check.

Most marine fish:

  • Do not exhibit extended parental care.

  • Especially not in estuarine fisheries contexts.

  • Especially not in sharks (outside of nursery selection).

If you walk in heavy on “parental behavior,” it may feel disconnected from his active projects unless he already works with a species that has clear parental investment.

That doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

It just may not be practical.

So instead of leading with parental behavior, shift it to:

How habitat quality or protection status influences behavior and nursery function.

That fits him much better.

What Actually Makes Sense with Gorka

Based on his background in:

  • Fisheries

  • MPAs

  • Habitat use

  • Estuarine systems

  • Behavior at ecological scales

These are the strongest realistic directions:

1⃣ Behavior Inside vs Outside MPAs

This is clean.

This is feasible.

This fits his expertise.

You could ask:

  • Do fish use habitat differently inside vs outside protected areas?

  • Are nursery areas functioning differently under protection?

  • Are there behavioral indicators of habitat quality?

That connects:

Behavior + MPAs + Conservation.

2⃣ Nursery Habitat Degradation

Instead of parental behavior, reframe as:

  • How does habitat degradation influence juvenile behavior or habitat use?

  • Are fish using suboptimal areas differently?

  • Does environmental stress change spatial patterns?

That keeps the behavioral lens but makes it ecologically grounded.

Here’s a clear, human-sounding breakdown of everything you should know about Dr. Gorka Sancho, including his background, research, strengths, and what to expect in a conversation with him — all based on real institutional info and publications.

Who He Is — Background & Position

Dr. Gorka Sancho is a Professor of Biology at the College of Charleston, based at the Grice Marine Laboratory in Charleston, SC.

  • He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a B.A. in General Biology from the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain).

  • His academic training combines marine biology, ecology, and oceanography, which gives him a broad foundation in both field and analytical science.

Core Research Interests

Dr. Sancho’s primary research areas are:

Fish Behavior & Ecology

  • He studies how fish behave in different ecological contexts — including spawning behavior and predatory behavior.

Fisheries Conservation

  • His work intersects with fisheries science, exploring how fish populations interact with human activities like fishing.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

  • He has been deeply involved in research evaluating MPA coverage, function, and conservation effectiveness in U.S. waters.

  • His work suggests that existing MPAs protect only a small fraction of U.S. coastal ecosystems outside the central Pacific, meaning many areas remain vulnerable.

Examples of What He’s Worked On

Dr. Sancho’s research portfolio is diverse but has consistent themes:

  1. Shark Diet & Ecology

  • Co-authored studies on the diet and trophic ecology of bonnethead sharks along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts.

  • These studies examine how diet varies regionally and how factors like habitat use and prey availability shape feeding ecology.

  1. Predatory Fish Dynamics in Estuaries

  • His work includes isotopic analysis of fish communities in high-salinity estuaries, useful for understanding food webs and resource partitioning among predators.

  1. Shark & Fish Behavior Near Aggregating Devices

  • Some of his earlier research involved fish behavior around drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in open ocean ecosystems, combining acoustic and visual survey methods.

  1. Marine Protected Area ConservatioN

  • Co-lead author on papers that assess MPA gaps and argue for stronger protection to improve biodiversity and fisheries outcomes.

  • This work connects ecology, conservation policy, and ecosystem resilience — topics that appeal to interdisciplinary environmental science programs.

Teaching & Mentoring

He teaches courses like:

  • Biology of Fishes

  • Oceanography

  • Oceanographic Research

  • Marine Resources and Conservation

  • Conservation Biology

This shows his strength in:

  • Field-based science

  • Broad marine ecology

  • Conservation and fisheries topics

  • Integrating classroom and research learning

🤝

His Engagement With Students

Gorka has served as:

  • Advisor or co-advisor on student theses, including topics like fish population trends.

  • Mentor on student projects involving ecological topics such as microplastic ingestion in fish (e.g., striped mullet projects).

This tells you:

  • He has experience mentoring graduate student research.

  • He works with applied projects connected to local ecosystems like Charleston Harbor.

What His Research Style Looks Like

From publications and news:

✔ He combines fieldwork, surveys, tagging, isotopes, and ecological measurement rather than purely lab-only experiments.

✔ He works across scales — from local ecosystems to national policy implications.

✔ His collaborations often include other scientists and agencies (e.g., DNR), indicating interdisciplinary and team-based research.

🎯

How His Work Connects to Your Interests

Your interests in:

  • Field-based research

  • Animal behavior

  • Conservation outcomes

  • Sharks and coastal ecology

Do intersect strongly with his portfolio, especially in areas like:

  • Behavior ecology of fishes (and by extension, sharks)

  • Connectivity of habitat and behavior

  • Fisheries conservation

  • MPAs and ecosystem protection

He’s not focused narrowly on one species, but the way he questions ecological and behavior patterns ties to how you think about behavior in broader conservation contexts.

What to Expect in a Conversation

When you meet him, likely topics include:

✔ What field components are currently happening now vs what’s future work.

✔ How behavior is integrated into ecological studies (tagging, movement data, dietary analysis).

✔ Whether there are datasets or field seasons you can join.

✔ How your timeline (1 year) aligns with current project windows.

He’s probably thinking in terms of:

  • Fisheries ecology

  • Habitat influence on species dynamics

  • Conservation measurement

  • Applied research that informs management

📌 Key Takeawaya

Gorka Sancho is:

  • A marine ecologist and fisheries scientist

  • A behaviorally-informed conservation researcher

  • Someone who values field data and management relevance

  • Experienced with student mentoring on related topics

  • Interested in MPAs, animal behavior, and conservation at ecosystem scales

These make him a strong advisor candidate if you want work that:

  • Combines fieldwork with conservation

  • Has real management relevance

  • Uses quantitative as well as observational approaches

3⃣ Fisheries Stress + Behavior

This connects directly to his shark work.

  • How do stressors (fishing pressure, handling, environmental shifts) alter behavior?

  • Can behavior be used as a management indicator?

How You Should Frame It Monday

Instead of pitching ideas, say something like:

I’ve been thinking about how habitat quality and protection status might influence fish behavior, especially in nursery areas. I’m curious whether there are existing projects in your group where behavioral components could be explored more explicitly.

That’s mature.

It says:

  • You’ve thought about it.

  • You’re flexible.

  • You’re not demanding a brand new project.

When Gorka was mentioned, the conversation focused on potential research projects and how they might align with the student's interests. Key points include:

  • Gorka specializes in fisheries, marine protected areas (MPAs), and fish behavior and ecology.

  • His work mainly involves marine protected areas and their impacts, which are tied to nursery habitats like mangroves and coral reefs.

  • A suggested research idea is to study how the loss of nursery habitats affects parental behavior in fish and potentially other marine animals like dolphins.

  • The student is encouraged to have a conversation with Gorka to see if he has ongoing projects or space for a one-year research project that matches their interests, especially in behavioral observation.

  • The advisor advises waiting for the outcome of the student's chat with Gorka before reaching out to other contacts, like the aquarium, to avoid overwhelming the student with too many options.

  • The student has researched Gorka and found that he often appears as a later author on papers related to sharks and microplastics but also does work related to fish behavior and ecology.

  • There’s an emphasis on whether a project with Gorka could involve more hands-on, field-based observational work, which the student prefers, rather than strictly lab research.

  • The advisor highlights that Gorka’s projects might lean more toward lab and research science but still involve hands-on elements.

Dr. Gorka Sancho is a Professor of Biology at the College of Charleston, based at the Grice Marine Laboratory in Charleston, SC. He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a B.A. in General Biology from the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain). His core research interests include:

  • Fish Behavior & Ecology: Studies how fish behave in different ecological contexts, focusing on spawning and predatory behaviors.

  • Fisheries Conservation: Explores fish population interactions with human activities such as fishing.

  • Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Researches MPA coverage, function, and conservation effectiveness in U.S. waters, addressing that many areas remain vulnerable due to limited protection.

Potential projects that might align with the student's interests include:

  • Investigating how the loss of nursery habitats (like mangroves and coral reefs) affects parental behavior in fish and other marine species.

  • Studying behavioral ecology within MPAs to see how they function as nursery habitats.

  • Exploring fisheries ecology and behavior, especially regarding the impact of environmental changes, such as climate change, on nursery habitats.

  • Emphasizing hands-on field observation rather than lab-based projects, aligning with the student’s preference.

In their conversation, the student should focus on these key areas:

  • Discuss the impact of nursery habitat loss on juvenile fish behavior instead of parental behavior alone.

  • Ask about behavioral differences of fish in protected versus unprotected areas, such as whether nursery areas function differently under protection and if there are behavioral indicators of habitat quality.

  • Inquire about specific datasets or field seasons the student could join and align their timeline with ongoing projects in Gorka's group.

Relevant questions for the student to ask Gorka include:

  1. What current field components are available or upcoming?

  2. Are there existing projects in your group where behavior components could be further explored?

  3. How does habitat quality influence behavioral patterns in nursery areas?

  4. Can you share insights on how environmental stress affects juvenile behavior?

  5. What opportunities exist for hands-on observations in your current research?