C/ AMERICO VESPUCIO S/N 41092 SEVILLA (ESPAÑA) TEL. :(34) 954 466700 FAX:(34) 954 621125

Seville, 30/10/2015

Dear colleague,

I would like to express my full support of Conor J. McCarthy for his application to the

Marine Turtle Conservation Internships offered by AIGCD.

I have known Conor for two months as supervisor of his Erasmus internship at our

department of Wetland Ecology (Doñana Biological Station-CSIC). During this time I

have had many opportunities to assess his knowledge, abilities and personality.

In our group Conor participates in several projects related with aquatic invasive

animals. For example he has done lots of fieldwork collecting crayfish samples, setting

and retrieving trap nets in all sorts of weather; in the laboratory he has processed

crayfish samples, taking measurements and also extracting muscle, shell, digestive tract,

gill and hepathopancreas samples for genetic and genomic studies, etc. He has also

collaborated with other researchers at EBD in other conservation projects and with other

model species. For example he has participated in catching bats, helping to set up mist

nets, taking biological samples, etc. He has also collaborated in a project on seabirds,

preparing blood and feather samples for stable isotope analysis, etc.

In addition to field and laboratory work he has attended lectures of invited researchers

on stable isotope analysis, host-parasite interactions, etc.

Conor is a highly motivated student and dedicated worker who truly enjoys field work.

It has required working during the night, hot weather during the day, and very long

working periods without stopping. He has demonstrated himself to be very ethical,

efficient and responsible. He has been active and well-organized at every stage of our

work. Moreover he has a charming personality.

C/ AMERICO VESPUCIO S/N 41092 SEVILLA (ESPAÑA) TEL. :(34) 954 466700 FAX:(34) 954 621125

For all the above reasons I believe that Conor is an excellent candidate for the position

and I strongly support his application. For any further questions, please do not hesitate

to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Marta I. Sánchez