The Global Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Nicola's work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
About Nicola
I am a Lecturer in Marine Conservation delivering research led teaching and supervision within the School of Biological and Marine Sciences. My main research is based on the ecology and behaviour of whales and dolphins (cetaceans) and how anthropogenic noise effects their behaviour. I work on collaborative projects with colleagues in the UK and the USA with the aim to better understand the effect of human use of our oceans. The main topics of my research assesses the effects of military sonar activity on whale behaviour and I am particularly interested in developing novel tools for advancing our understanding of these complex animals and how they react to noise in their environments. I use data from on-animal tags to better understand diving behaviour and have published on Journal of Experimental Biology 2020 and the behavioural Responses of beaked whales (Ecosphere 2026)
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I am also a long standing collaborator with the Scottish Bottlenose dolphin project run by the University of Aberdeen and University of St Andrews where we use longitudinal data to better understand the ecology and popualtion structure of the dolphins suing novel approach such as drones (Ecosphere 2022)
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Teaching
I am Module Leader for
- MAR513 and BIO5131 Research Skills and Methods
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I regularly contribute content across a range of modules including
- OS109: Introduction to Biodiversity and Marine Ecosystems
- OS205: Managing Human Impacts in the Marine Environment
- MBIO339: Ecology and Conservation of Marine Vertebrates
- MBIO505: Marine Conservation Theory
- MAR532: Marine Conservation Practise
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Contact Nicola