Nicola Quick | Scholars@Duke

Nicola Quick
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marine Science and Conservation

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

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marine Science and Conservation, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2022

Contact Information

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of St. Andrews (United Kingdom) 2006
Research
Selected Grants
- Atlantic Behavioral Response Study awarded by HDR, Inc. 2021 - 2023
- North Atlantic Right Whale Tagging and Tracking 2018-2019 awarded by HDR, Inc. 2018 - 2023
- 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 - 2023
- 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 - 2022
- EOWDC Bottlenose Dolphin Movements awarded by SMRU Consulting 2020 - 2022
- 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
- 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
  - Cheney, B. J., J. Dale, P. M. Thompson, and N. J. Quick. “Spy in the sky: a method to identify pregnant small cetaceans.” Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, January 1, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.258.
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  - 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 37, no. 3 (July 1, 2021): 1085–1100. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12799.
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  - 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): jeb222109. 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.
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  - 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.
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  - 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): jeb162479. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.162479.
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  - 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.
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  - Quick, N., S. Isojunno, D. Sadykova, M. Bowers, D. Nowacek, and A. Read. “Hidden Markov models reveal complexity in the diving behaviour of short-finned pilot whales.” Scientific Reports 7, no. 45765 (March 31, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45765.
    Full Text Open Access Copy Link to Item
  - Quick, N., B. Cheney, P. Thompson, and P. Hammond. “Can the Camera Lie? A Nonpermanent Nick in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).” Aquatic Mammals 43, no. 2 (March 13, 2017): 156–61. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.43.2.2017.156.
    Full Text Link to Item
  - 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
  - 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 (December 1, 2014): 118–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2014.08.010.
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  - 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.
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  - Sayigh, L. S., N. Quick, G. Hastie, and P. L. Tyack. “Repeated call types in short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus.” Marine Mammal Science 29, no. 2 (2014): 312–24.
    Link to Item
  - Cheney, B., P. M. Thompson, S. N. Ingram, P. S. Hammond, P. T. Stevick, J. W. Durban, R. 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 (2013): 71–88.
    Link to Item
  - 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.
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  - 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.
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  - 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.
    Full Text
  - 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, 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.
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  - Quick, N., L. R. Rendell, and V. M. Janik. “A mobile acoustic localisation system for the study of free-ranging dolphins during focal follows.” Marine Mammal Science 24 (2008): 979–89.
    Link to Item
  - 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., S. Middlemas, and J. D. Armstrong. “A Survey of Anti-Predator Controls at Marine Salmon Farms in Scotland.” Aquaculture 230 (2004): 169–80.
    Link to Item
  - Southall, Brandon, N. Quick, Gordon Hastie, Peter Tyack, and Ian Boyd. “Mitigation of harm during a novel behavioural response study involving active sonar and wild cetaceans.” Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 16 (n.d.): 29–38.
- Preprints
  - Cioffi, William R., Nicola J. Quick, Zachary T. Swaim, Heather J. Foley, Danielle M. Waples, Daniel L. Webster, Robin W. Baird, Brandon L. Southall, Douglas P. Nowacek, and Andrew J. Read. “Trade-offs in telemetry tag programming for deep-diving cetaceans: data longevity, resolution, and continuity.” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, n.d. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.05.28.493822.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
- Bass Connections Team Leader. Learning from Whales: Oxygen, Ecosystems and Human Health. 2021 - 2022 2021 - 2022
- Bass Connections Team Leader. Learning from Whales: Oxygen, Ecosystems and Human Health. 2020 - 2021 2020 - 2021

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Preprints

Recent Courses

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship