I am currently putting my linear model into matlab; I have discritized my model and have decided to use a time scale of weeks (this may change to days if it looks too choppy when I graph my model). The linear model will be divided into a non-photosensitive and a photosensitive group, and these groups will not interact for the moment; I am doing this so that when I run simulations on each individual population I will be able to check that my code is working properly (e.g for the photosensitive group the Juvenile population will fluctuate in a sinusoidal fashion) I have also created a loop so I can vary the birth rates seasonally.

Today I also spent some time researching parameters. Finding birth rates for separate seasons is difficult, but I am able to find average birth rates, so I may have to make some estimates/talk to Prof Heideman.

I went to the research ethics lecture today led by Prof Heideman. While some of the scenarios in the talk would not apply to math research students, the issues concerning citation and credit were helpful. It was also interesting to see some of the barriers (grants, patents, etc.) that come up during scientific/laboratory research .