Academic Record

• Ph.D. Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University (2013)

• M.Sc. Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University (2001)

• B.Sc. Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston (1998)

Recent Projects

Anthropogenic Impacts

Behavioural Ecology

Conservation Biology

Methodological Research

Ecology

Research Interests

2014 - ongoing: SOCAL_BRS – Controlled Exposure Experiment (CEE) to examine behavioral response of blue whales, fin whales, beaked whales and Risso’s dolphins to Navy sonar exposure.

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2001 - ongoing: Population, behaviour, abundance and spatial ecology of the critically endangered population of western gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) on their summer feeding grounds off the northeastern coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia. Examine potential influences of anthropogenic activity primarily related to oil and gas construction and exploration activities.

 

2010 - ongoing: Research geared to monitor and understand the population biology, social dynamics, and behavioural ecology of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in Hong Kong. This research also examines the potential impacts of anthropogenic activity relative to eco-tourism, vessel traffic, bridge construction, and airport expansion.

 

2004 - ongoing: Assess acoustic, abundance, movement, and behavioural data as well as review documents, presentations and reports and present findings to a scientific panel of marine mammal scientist (WGWAP, convened by the IUCN) who's objective is to provide scientific advice and recommendations on how an oil & gas company can minimize risks associated with its operations on the western gray whales and their habitat.

 

2004 - 2005: Sperm Whale Seismic Survey (SWSS) project that was primarily focused on satellite tagging of sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

2003 - 2004: Population ecology, social organization and ecotourism impacts on dusky dolphins (Lagenoryhncus obscurus) off the coast of Kaikoura, New Zealand.