معرفی
Laura J. May-Collado is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Vermont, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on integrative marine biology, particularly the use of sound to study marine communities and the evolution of marine mammal communication. She holds additional roles as a Research Associate at CIMAR (Costa Rica), Affiliate Professor at Universidad Maritima Internacional de Panama, and member of the Committee of Scientific Advisors for the Marine Mammal Commission.
Dr. May-Collado's education includes a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Costa Rica (1995–2001) and a Ph.D. in Biology from Florida International University (2003–2007). Her research interests span animal communication, soundscapes, marine conservation, and the behavioral ecology of marine vertebrates. She employs phylogenetic analyses, autonomous recording systems, and drones to study evolutionary and ecological factors shaping marine communities.
Key projects include the ONDAS Initiative, deploying acoustic recorders in Central American waters to study humpback whales and dolphin communication. She collaborates internationally, co-founding Panacetacea.org and advising organizations like MI AMBIENTE in Panama. Her work emphasizes conservation, including studies on manatee feeding behavior in Belize and dolphin population dynamics in the Gulf of Chiriqui.
Dr. May-Collado is also active in education, leading the CURE Lab and teaching courses on marine biology and mammalogy. She advocates for inclusive science through initiatives like the IRES-Costa Rica program and outreach via social media (@maycolladolab). Her research bridges ecology, evolution, and conservation, with a focus on leveraging soundscapes for biodiversity monitoring.
