Recent Program Funding
US Navy, Living Marine Resources Program
OGP, E&P Joint Industry Programme on Sound and Marine Life
Office of Naval Research, Marine Mammals and Biological Oceanography Program
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Alaska Pinnipeds Program
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Geological Survey
Office of Naval Research, Turbulence and Stratified Wakes and Submarine Maneuvering and Control Programs
Packard Ocean Sciences Research Endowment, University of California Santa Cruz
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Environmental Studies Program
SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund
National Geographic, Explorers Program
Northwest Arctic Borough Science Committee
Packard Ocean Sciences Endowment, Institute of Marine Sciences, UCSC
HDR, Environmental, Operations, and Construction, Inc.
Minerals Management Service
National Oceanographic Partnership Program
Some of our Partners
The Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska. We collaborate with the SeaLife Center to conduct studies on the health status and basic biology of polar-living seals.
Oceans Initiative. We study the acoustic biology of walruses and their susceptibility to noise disturbance with the science team at Oceans Initiative.
Waikīkī Aquarium and SeaLife Park Hawai’i. We collaborate with these facilities to study sound reception and sound production in the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, California. We work closely with TMMC on studies of California sea lions and other marine mammals that support specific conservation and rehabilitation goals.
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California. Our partnership with MBA’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program increases understanding of sea otter sensory biology.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Our long-term research with walruses has provided unique insight into developmental aspects of communication and cognition in this understudied species.
Native Village of Kotzebue, Kotzebue, Alaska. We expanded our hearing studies to include ice-dependent bearded seals with help and support from the Native Village of Kotzebue.
Aquarium of the Pacific. Collaboration with Long Beach Aquarium enabled us to complete the first comprehensive studies of hearing in sea otters.
SeaWorld, San Diego, California. We collaborate with SeaWorld San Diego on several projects, including bioacoustic research with ringed seals and walruses.
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Working with the Engineers at UVA allowed us to study the vibrotactile capabilities of pinnipeds and help develop bio-inspired sensors for underwater exploration.
Special Thanks
Hotline Wetsuits, Santa Cruz, California. For their help with design and manufacture of experimental “attire” for our seals.
Steve Weiss, Mountain View, California. For generous help with design and manufacture of experimental apparatuses for our sea otters.
JASCO Applied Sciences. For invaluable emergency support during the 2020 wildfires in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Alan De Herrera/Rio Films. For sharing incredible field footage of wild pinnipeds.