Kristi West, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Marine Sciences and Biology
HPU Email: kwest@hpu.edu
Office Telephone: 808-236-5841 FAX: 808-236-3590
Office location: 247 Hawaii Loa Campus
Postdoctoral Fellow (2003-2005), National Zoological Park and the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.
Ph.D. Biomedical Science (2002). University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Ph.D. Marine Ecology (2002). L’Universite de la Polynesie Francaise.
M.Sc. Marine Science (1998). University of the Ryukyus
B.A. Marine Science (1996). University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Publications (Past 5 years):
West, K.L., Mead, J.G. and C.W. Potter. Submitted. The attainment
of sexual and physical maturity in the rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis. Canadian Journal of Zoology.
West, K.L., Oftedal, O.T., Carpenter, J., Campbell, M., Krames, B.J.
and J.C. Sweeney. (In Press). Effect of stage of lactation and concurrent pregnancy on milk composition in bottlenose dolphins. Journal of Zoology.
Gannier, A. and K.L. West. 2004. Distribution of the rough-toothed
dolphin (Steno bredanensis) around the Windward Islands, French Polynesia. Pacific Science: (59)1:17-24.
West, K.L. and R. van Woesik. 2001. Spatial and temporal variance
of river discharge on Okinawa (Japan): Inferring the temporal impact on adjacent coral reefs. Marine Pollution Bulletin: 42(10) 864-872.
West, K.L, Atkinson, S., Carmichael, M., Sweeney, J.C., Krames, B.,
and J. Krames. 2000. Concentrations of progesterone in dolphin milk during different reproductive states. General and Comparative Endocrinology: (117) 218-224.
Presentations (Past 5 years):
2006 West, K.L. Marine Mammal Strandings: Collecting data on the life-history of cetaceans. Pacific Islands Regional Stranding Conference, Honolulu, HI. July 2006.
2005 West, K.L, Oftedal, O.T., Wells, R. S., Costa, D. P. and M.B. Kretzmann. Milk composition in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) obtained from 17 years of sample collection. Indianapolis Zoo Dolphin Reproduction Symposium. Abstracts. October 2005.
2005 West, K.L and J.C. Ramer. Thyroid function in bottlenose dolphins: an overview of efforts to establish baselines. Indianapolis Zoo Dolphin Reproduction Symposium. Abstracts. October 2005.
2005 Eisert, R., West, K.L., Oftedal, O.T. and J.C. Sweeney. The dietary biomarker method: a new tool for cetacean research. Indianapolis Zoo Dolphin Reproduction Symposium. Abstracts. October 2005.
2005 Shah, R.S., West, K.L., Oftedal, O.T., Wells, R.S. and J.C. Sweeney. Milk mineral values in free-ranging and captive bottlenose dolphins. Indianapolis Zoo Dolphin Reproduction Symposium. October 2005.
2003 West, K.L., Ramer, J.C., Van Bonn, W.G. and J.C. Sweeney. Ultrasound techniques for measurement of the thyroid gland in Tursiops truncatus. 34th Annual International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine Conference. Abstracts. May 2003.
Service (Past 5 years):
Member, Dolphin Quest Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(IACUC), 2001-present.
Member, College of Natural Sciences Faculty Hiring Committee
(Fall 2006)
Member, College of Natural Sciences Oceanography Faculty Search
Committee (Spring 2007)
Courses Routinely taught at HPU (Past 5 years):
BIOL 2030 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 2031 Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I
MARS 3802 Marine Mammal Biology
MARS 3803 Marine Mammal Biology Laboratory
BIOL 4940 Biology Seminar
MARS 4910 Seminar Marine Biology
BIOL 4950 Biology Practicum
Grants, Contracts and Awards (Past 5 years):
Prescott Marine Mammal Assistance Grant Program, (2006-2007):
Increasing cetacean necropsy capabilities in the Main
Hawaiian Islands.
Marine Science Network, Smithsonian Institution, (2004-2007): A
comparative study of bottlenose dolphin nutritional foraging
ecology.
SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund (2005-2006): Wild
study of rough-toothed dolphins and melon-headed whales in French Polynesia.
Dolphin Quest (2005). The milk mineral content of dolphin milk.
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (2004-2007). Dolphin calf
nutritional needs in Florida’s wild dolphins.
Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park (2004): Continued
study of the energetics of lactation in cetaceans, post-doctoral extended fellowship award.
Smithsonian Institution (2002/2003): Study of the energetics of
lactation in cetaceans, post-doctoral fellowship award.
Indianapolis Zoo (2003-2005): Studies of thyroid function in
bottlenose dolphins.
Dolphin Quest Inc. (2002/2003): Investigations into dolphin
physiology.
