Joanne O'Brien

Joanne O'Brien is a Lecturer in Marine Ecology and Researcher on Marine Mammals at the Department of Natural Resources & The Environment, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT). She serves as a Principal Investigator at the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), focusing on marine conservation and acoustic monitoring of elusive species. Her work spans cetacean ecology, habitat modeling, and environmental management in Irish coastal waters.

Her research interests include:

• Marine mammal ecology (particularly Cetacea and Bottlenose Dolphins)
• Acoustic monitoring of vulnerable species
• Spatial distribution modeling for conservation
• Coastal and estuarine ecosystem dynamics
• Evolution of marine mammal vocalizations
• Management of exclusive economic zones

Recent publications highlight her expertise in:

• Photo-identification techniques for sperm whales
• Distribution patterns of baleen whales in the North Atlantic
• Acoustic behavior of fin whales
• Conservation strategies for endangered marine species
• Coastal water management frameworks
• Estuarine habitat preservation

Her work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration across marine biology, acoustics, and policy development.