What an exciting week this has been for me and DCP! John and I traveled to Washington D.C. on Saturday, 6 September for a few days of events with Global Humane Society (American Humane Society’s international arm). We traveled for the annual Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation Annual event. I was a finalist with five other individuals from across the globe. John and I arrived a day early to get in a day of sightseeing.
Monday saw all finalists (me, Dante, Hilde, Jhala, and Jonah. Vivek was unable to attend in person) spending the day being interviewed for the final selection, as well as for a few of American Humane Society’s (AHS’s) programs, including Robin’s Nest, a lively and informative podcast. It was busy but fun! 
Tuesday morning, we visited the Library of Congress – a stunning building and library and place we all wished we had more time to spend inside. Tuesday evening was a dinner (scrumptious!) at which the 2025 Kiessling Prize winner was announced. Dr. Robin Ganzert (CEO of AHS and GHS) introduced all finalists and then showed a video. Since we’d all been interviewed for the Kiessling Prize video, both John and I thought they’d show a clip of everyone and then announce the winner. So, it took a minute for me to realize that my video was the only one shown in sequence with Wolfgang Kiessling and Robin! I was VERY excited and not a little stunned! I was able to say a few words of thanks – 
fortunately, there was a podium on which I could rest my thank-you notes so my shaking hands were not that visible!
The award ceremony was held on Wednesday morning on Capital Hill. That evening, we celebrated the Kiessling Prize, finalists, and winner at a Global Humane Table with a Farm-to-Table menu that was not only beautiful to behold but held delicious food and lively conversations. 
My research relies on long-term collaborations, I thank all the facilities, managers, trainers, participants, students, and the communities with whom and where I’ve studied dolphins both in managed care and the wild for welcoming and supporting me and my team. The Kiessling Prize is the best acknowledgment that your support is necessary, and science should not be conducted in a vacuum.
I am honored by the 2025 Wolfgang Kiessling International Prize for Species Conservation as it represents recognition for my decades-long research studying dolphins – large and small – in 
both the wild and managed care, as well as DCP’s education programs dedicated to sharing our findings with people far and wide. With the Kiessling Prize, I look forward to taking our science conservation messages to much wider audiences.