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Douglas Nowacek

Randolph K. Repass and Sally-Christine Rodgers University Distinguished Professor of Conservation Technology in Environment and Engineering
Marine Science and Conservation
Duke Univ Marine Lab, 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd, Beaufort, NC 28516

Research Interests


Marine mammal behavioral and acoustic ecology
Ocean noise
Offshore renewable energy

Selected Grants


Atlantic Behavioral Response Study II 2024 - Continuously Active Sonar

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2023 - 2026

REU Site: Undergraduate Research in Estuarine and Coastal Marine Systems

ResearchSenior Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2021 - 2025

North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking 2018-2019

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2018 - 2024

Merrill Seagrant

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina State University · 2022 - 2024

Reducing Impacts to Marine Mammals from anthropogenic Sound in the Gulf of Mexico

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by California Ocean Alliance · 2022 - 2023

Atlantic Behavioral Response Study

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2021 - 2023

Spatial and Acoustic Ecology of Marine Megafauna (SPAM)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Wilmington · 2017 - 2022

Autonomous Passive Acoustic Monitoring MCAS Cherry Point Post Hurricane Recovery

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2020 - 2021

Acoustic Startle Responses as Aversive Reactions and Hearing Indicators in Cetaceans

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of St. Andrews · 2016 - 2021

Atlantic Behavioral Response Study

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2020 - 2021

Acoustic, Behavioral and Foraging Ecology of Cetaceans off the Coast of Brazil A Baseline Study

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Socioambiental Consultores Associados Ltda. · 2016 - 2021

Atlantic Behavioral Response Study

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2019 - 2020

Extended Duration Acoustic Tagging of Right Whales

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Syracuse University · 2019 - 2019

Megafauna Motion Tag

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Geographic Society · 2017 - 2019

Atlantic Behavioral Response Study

ResearchFaculty Member · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2017 - 2018

Conservation X Labs Tech Prize

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Conservation X Labs · 2018 - 2018

Evaluating the Behavioral Response of Sea Turtles to Faurnaguard Turtle Module (Van Oord)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Florida State University · 2016 - 2018

North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking on the Southeast US Calving Grounds - 2016 - 2017

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2016 - 2018

LTER Palmer, Antartica (PAL): Land Shelf Ocean Connectivity, Ecosystem Resilience and Transformation

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Oregon State University · 2014 - 2017

Autonomous Passive Acoustic Monitoring/Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR, Inc. · 2015 - 2016

Studies to Inform the Delineation of Wind Energy Areas within the Published Areas of Interest for North Carolina

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2015 - 2016

North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking on the Southeast US Calving Grounds - 2015 - 2016

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR Engineering, Inc. · 2015 - 2016

Delphinid Cetaceans: Quantifying Behavioral Ecology and Response to Predators Using a Multi-Species Approach

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program · 2011 - 2016

North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking on the Southeast US Calving Grounds

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR Engineering, Inc. · 2013 - 2015

North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking on the Southeast US Calving Grounds

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by HDR Engineering, Inc. · 2013 - 2015

A Low-Cost UAV Imaging System for Large Whale Health Assessment

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Association of Zoos and Aquariums · 2013 - 2014

A SAFE vessel: Advancing research capabilities to the Gulf Stream

EquipmentCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2013 - 2014

Duke University Seminar on Methods in Marine Bioacoustics

ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration · 2012 - 2013

Collaborative Research: The ecological role of a poorly studied Antarctic krill predator: the humpback whale/Megaptera novaeangliae

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2008 - 2012

Use of multi-frequency acoustics to study cetacean foraging ecology

EquipmentPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2008 - 2010

External Relationships


  • Equinor
  • International Union for the Conservation of Nature

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.