Nicola Quick | Scholars@Duke

Nicola Quick
Research Scientist

Dr Nicola J. Quick is currently a Research Scientist within the Read Lab at Duke Marine Lab. Dr Quick holds a PhD in animal behavior and acoustics from The University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK, where she remains an Honorary Research Scientist within the School of Biology. Her professional experience spans both academic and commercial sectors where she has primarily been involved with projects concerning acoustic behavior of marine mammals and the effects of anthropogenic noise on cetaceans. She has produced a number of high level reports and peer reviewed publications for a range of sectors including the US, German and UK military, large oil and gas producers, the wind and wet renewables industries, the British and Scottish governments, statutory regulators and academic institutions.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Research Scientist, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment

Contact Information

+1 252 504 7589

Research
Selected Grants
- Double MOCHA: Phase II Multi-study Ocean acoustic Human effects Analysis awarded by University of St. Andrews 2018 - 2022
- Bottlenose Dolphin Whistle Analyses - MCAS Cherry Point, NC awarded by HDR, Inc. 2017 - 2021
- Acoustic Startle Responses as Aversive Reactions and Hearing Indicators in Cetaceans awarded by University of St. Andrews 2016 - 2021
- Atlantic Behavioral Response Study awarded by HDR, Inc. 2020 - 2021
- EOWDC Bottlenose Dolphin Movements awarded by SMRU Consulting 2020 - 2021
- North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking 2018-2019 awarded by HDR, Inc. 2018 - 2021
- Tagging, Acoustic Monitoring, Logistics, Work Plan Development, Data Management, Analysis and Reporting for the North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking on the Southeast US Calving Grounds FY17 awarded by HDR, Inc. 2017 - 2021
- Atlantic Behavioral Response Study awarded by HDR, Inc. 2019 - 2020
- Atlantic Behavioral Response Study awarded by HDR, Inc. 2017 - 2018
- Deep Diving Odontocete Tagging off Cape Hatteras, NC awarded by HDR Engineering, Inc. 2016 - 2018
- North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking on the Southeast US Calving Grounds - 2016 - 2017 awarded by HDR, Inc. 2016 - 2018
- Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Marine Protected Species for Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) - HARPs + MARUs awarded by HDR Engineering, Inc. 2016 - 2017
- Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Marine Protected Species for Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) - HARPs + MARUs awarded by HDR Engineering, Inc. 2015 - 2017
- Deep Diving Odontocete Tagging off Cape Hatteras, NC awarded by HDR, Inc. 2015 - 2016
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Cioffi, W. R., N. J. Quick, H. J. Foley, D. M. Waples, Z. T. Swaim, J. M. Shearer, D. L. Webster, et al. “Adult male Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) engage in prolonged bouts of synchronous diving.” Marine Mammal Science, January 1, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12799.
    Full Text
  - Quick, Nicola J., William R. Cioffi, Jeanne M. Shearer, Andreas Fahlman, and Andrew J. Read. “Extreme diving in mammals: first estimates of behavioural aerobic dive limits in Cuvier's beaked whales.” The Journal of Experimental Biology 223, no. Pt 18 (September 23, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.222109.
    Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Arso Civil, M., N. J. Quick, B. Cheney, E. Pirotta, P. M. Thompson, and P. S. Hammond. “Changing distribution of the east coast of Scotland bottlenose dolphin population and the challenges of area-based management.” Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29, no. S1 (September 1, 2019): 178–96. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3102.
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  - Quick, N. J., W. R. Cioffi, J. Shearer, and A. J. Read. “Mind the gap - Optimizing satellite tag settings for time series analysis of foraging dives in Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris).” Animal Biotelemetry 7, no. 1 (March 15, 2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-019-0167-5.
    Full Text
  - Shearer, Jeanne M., Nicola J. Quick, William R. Cioffi, Robin W. Baird, Daniel L. Webster, Heather J. Foley, Zachary T. Swaim, Danielle M. Waples, Joel T. Bell, and Andrew J. Read. “Diving behaviour of Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.” Royal Society Open Science 6, no. 2 (February 6, 2019): 181728. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181728.
    Full Text
  - Bowers, Matthew T., Ari S. Friedlaender, Vincent M. Janik, Douglas P. Nowacek, Nicola J. Quick, Brandon L. Southall, and Andrew J. Read. “Selective reactions to different killer whale call categories in two delphinid species.” The Journal of Experimental Biology 221, no. Pt 11 (June 12, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.162479.
    Full Text
  - Quick, N., H. Callahan, and A. J. Read. “Two-component calls in short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus).” Marine Mammal Science 34, no. 1 (January 1, 2018): 155–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12452/full.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - Civil, M. A., B. Cheney, N. J. Quick, P. M. Thompson, and P. S. Hammond. “A new approach to estimate fecundity rate from inter-birth intervals.” Ecosphere 8, no. 4 (April 1, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1796.
    Full Text
  - Quick, Nicola J., Saana Isojunno, Dina Sadykova, Matthew Bowers, Douglas P. Nowacek, and Andrew J. Read. “Hidden Markov models reveal complexity in the diving behaviour of short-finned pilot whales.” Scientific Reports 7 (March 31, 2017): 45765. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45765.
    Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Quick, N. J., B. Cheney, P. M. Thompson, and P. S. Hammond. “Can the camera lie? A nonpermanent nick in a bottlenose dolphin (tursiops truncatus).” Aquatic Mammals 43, no. 2 (January 1, 2017): 156–61. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.43.2.2017.156.
    Full Text
  - Quick, N., L. Scott-Hayward, D. Sadykova, D. Nowacek, and A. Read. “Effects of a scientific echo sounder on the behavior of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus).” Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 74, no. 5 (January 1, 2017): 716–26. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2016-0293.
    Full Text
  - Southall, B. L., N. Quick, G. Hastie, P. Tyack, and I. Boyd. “Mitigation of harm during a novel behavioural response study involving active sonar and wild cetaceans.” Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 16 (January 1, 2017): 29–38.
  - DeRuiter, Stacy L., Catriona M. Harris, Nicola J. Quick, Dina Sadykova, Lindesay A. Scott-Hayward, Alison K. Stimpert, Brandon L. Southall, Len Thomas, and Fleur Visser. “Measuring whale and dolphin call rates as a function of behavioral, social, and environmental context.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 136, no. 4 (October 2014): 2247–2247. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4900112.
    Full Text
  - Cheney, B., R. Corkrey, J. W. Durban, K. Grellier, P. S. Hammond, V. Islas-Villanueva, V. M. Janik, et al. “Long-term trends in the use of a protected area by small cetaceans in relation to changes in population status.” Global Ecology and Conservation 2 (January 1, 2014): 118–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2014.08.010.
    Full Text
  - Sayigh, L., N. Quick, G. Hastie, and P. Tyack. “Repeated call types in short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus.” Marine Mammal Science 29, no. 2 (April 1, 2013): 312–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2012.00577.x.
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  - Cheney, B., P. M. Thompson, S. N. Ingram, P. S. Hammond, P. T. Stevick, J. W. Durban, R. M. Culloch, et al. “Integrating multiple data sources to assess the distribution and abundance of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in Scottish waters.” Mammal Review 43, no. 1 (January 1, 2013): 71–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.2011.00208.x.
    Full Text
  - Quick, Nicola J., and Vincent M. Janik. “Bottlenose dolphins exchange signature whistles when meeting at sea.” Proceedings. Biological Sciences 279, no. 1738 (July 2012): 2539–45. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.2537.
    Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Jewell, R., L. Thomas, C. M. Harris, K. Kaschner, R. Wiff, P. S. Hammond, and N. J. Quick. “Global analysis of cetacean line-transect surveys: Detecting trends in cetacean density.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 453 (May 7, 2012): 227–40. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09636.
    Full Text
  - Kaschner, Kristin, Nicola J. Quick, Rebecca Jewell, Rob Williams, and Catriona M. Harris. “Global coverage of cetacean line-transect surveys: status quo, data gaps and future challenges.” Plos One 7, no. 9 (January 2012): e44075. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044075.
    Full Text
  - Pirotta, Enrico, Rachael Milor, Nicola Quick, David Moretti, Nancy Di Marzio, Peter Tyack, Ian Boyd, and Gordon Hastie. “Vessel noise affects beaked whale behavior: results of a dedicated acoustic response study.” Plos One 7, no. 8 (January 2012): e42535. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0042535.
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  - Walker, C. G., M. L. MacKenzie, C. R. Donovan, D. Kidney, N. J. Quick, and G. D. Hastie. “Classification of animal dive tracks via automatic landmarking, principal components analysis and clustering.” Ecosphere 2, no. 8 (August 2011): art92–art92. https://doi.org/10.1890/es11-00034.1.
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  - Quick, N. J., L. E. Rendell, and V. M. Janik. “A mobile acoustic localization system for the study of free-ranging dolphins during focal follows.” Marine Mammal Science 24, no. 4 (October 1, 2008): 979–89. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2008.00231.x.
    Full Text
  - Quick, Nicola J., and Vincent M. Janik. “Whistle rates of wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): influences of group size and behavior.” Journal of Comparative Psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983) 122, no. 3 (August 2008): 305–11. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7036.122.3.305.
    Full Text
  - Quick, Nicola J., and Vincent M. Janik. “Vocal exchanges in wild bottlenose dolphins.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 119, no. 5 (May 2006): 3223–3223. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4785929.
    Full Text
  - Quick, N. J., S. J. Middlemas, and J. D. Armstrong. “A survey of antipredator controls at marine salmon farms in Scotland.” Aquaculture (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 230, no. 1–4 (February 2004): 169–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0044-8486(03)00428-9.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
- ENERGY 396: Connections in Energy: Interdisciplinary Team Projects 2021
- ENERGY 796: Connections in Energy: Interdisciplinary Team Projects 2021
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
- Bass Connections Team Leader. Learning from Whales: Oxygen, Ecosystems and Human Health. 2020 - 2021 2020 - 2021

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Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Recent Courses

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship