Overview
I study the conservation biology of long-lived marine vertebrates, particularly marine mammals, seabirds and sea turtles. My work, and that of my students, documents the effects of human activities on populations of these species. Our work involves field work, experimentation and modeling. I am particularly interested in the development and application of new conservation tools.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Stephen A. Toth Distinguished Professor of Marine Biology in the Nicholas School of the Environment
·
2016 - Present
Marine Science and Conservation,
Nicholas School of the Environment
Professor of Marine Conservation Biology
·
2012 - Present
Marine Science and Conservation,
Nicholas School of the Environment
Recent Publications
Overwintering humpback whales adapt foraging strategies to shallow water environments at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA
Journal Article Marine Mammal Science · April 1, 2025 Some humpback whales from the Northwestern Atlantic population forgo migration to the Caribbean, spending winter months feeding along the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast. We studied the foraging behavior of these whales at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia ... Full text CiteHabitat use and trophic ecology of the world’s rarest whale population on a rapidly warming subarctic foraging ground
Journal Article Marine Ecology Progress Series · January 1, 2025 Historical commercial whaling has drastically reduced North Pacific right whale (NPRW) Eubalaena japonica populations, impeding our ecological understanding and highlighting the challenges of studying species impacted before scientific research began. The ... Full text CiteMexico must save the vaquita from gill nets.
Journal Article Science (New York, N.Y.) · August 2024 Full text CiteRecent Grants
Cuvier's beaked whale integrated ecosystem study: Systematic use of novel eDNA methodology to characterize and compare beaked whale populations and their associated prey community across regions
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Kelp Marine Research · 2023 - 2027Atlantic Behavioral Response Study II 2024 - Continuously Active Sonar
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2023 - 2026Defining the molecular physiologic impacts of stress on beaked whale hypoxia tolerance: implications for behavioral response
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2022 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
University of Guelph (Canada) ·
1990
Ph.D.
University of Guelph (Canada) ·
1983
M.S.
University of Guelph (Canada) ·
1980
B.S.