Conservation Genetics of Whales: In the late 1800’s over-hunting of whales caused significant population declines in many species. Genetic tools can be used to estimate pre-whaling population sizes and such estimates may help inform current management. I collaborated with my wife, Kristen Ruegg, and Steven Palumbi at Stanford University in inferring historical population sizes of Antarctic minke whales [article], and am currently assisting on a project with humpback whales. In the process I extended the LAMARC program’s Bayesian estimation capabilities [tech report abstract].