Kelly Boyle

Kelly Boyle serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of New Orleans, teaching courses including Biology of Fishes (BIOS 4914/5914) and Histology and Cytology (BIOS 3284).

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD (2011) in Zoology from the University of Hawai'i, Mānoa, with affiliation in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB)
• MS (2004) in Biological Science from California State University, Fullerton
• BA (1998) in Integrative Biology from the University of California at Berkeley

Dr. Boyle's research centers on teleost fish bioacoustics, investigating how morphological diversity of auditory structures relates to hearing acuity across species. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates evolutionary morphology, behavioral ecology, physiology, and biomechanics to understand sound production mechanisms and acoustic communication evolution in fishes. Current work examines anthropogenic noise impacts on marine fish communication and hearing, with emphasis on peripheral auditory adaptations.

Her laboratory conducts studies on acoustic organ diversity, evolution of hearing structures, and acoustical ecology of soniferous fish populations. This research employs passive acoustic monitoring to assess long-term behavioral patterns (e.g., spawning cycles) and evaluate conservation risks from human-generated underwater noise. The work bridges fundamental morphological research with applied conservation outcomes for marine ecosystems.

She directs the Laboratory of Fish Morphology and Behavior, advancing knowledge on how sound influences fish evolution, ecology, and survival in increasingly noisy marine environments.