Birgitte McDonald

Birgitte McDonald is an Assistant Professor at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML), affiliated with San José State University's College of Science. Her research focuses on marine mammals and their physiological and behavioral adaptations to extreme environments such as deep diving, hypoxia, fasting, and thermal stress.

Her work addresses fundamental questions in marine mammal life history and ecology, particularly how diving species manage oxygen balance during exercise and prolonged submersion under natural and human-disturbed conditions. She emphasizes that understanding these mechanisms is critical for predicting how marine mammals will respond to climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.

Dr. McDonald actively involves both graduate and undergraduate students in her research programs, conducting fieldwork locally and internationally. One of her graduate students received the Best Student Presentation Award at the World Marine Mammal Science Conference in Barcelona for research on the energetic cost of disturbance in sea otters, highlighting the impact of her mentorship.

She is recognized as a Principal Investigator through the SJSU Research Foundation and contributes to advancing marine science through innovative physiological and ecological studies. Her lab provides hands-on research experience, fostering future careers in marine biology and conservation.