معرفی
Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop holds a dual appointment in Physiology within the School of the Environment at The University of Queensland. She migrated to Australia in 2004 to pursue postdoctoral research on humpback whale communication, establishing herself as a global leader in cetacean acoustic behavior and physiology. Her roles include lecturing in animal physiology and behavior, with a focus on marine mammals. Dunlop earned her BSc (Honours) and PhD in Environmental Biology and Fish Neuroethology from Queen’s University Belfast, and has held academic positions in the School of Veterinary Science (2010–2021) before transitioning to the School of Biological Sciences.
Her research integrates physiology, behavior, and communication in large whales, emphasizing humpback whales' social dynamics, acoustic communication, and responses to anthropogenic noise. Key projects include the BRAHSS initiative assessing seismic noise impacts and studies on endocrine physiology at Moreton Bay Research Station. Dunlop collaborates widely, particularly with veterinary science researchers on whale health and disease.
Publications span over 76 journal articles, 9 book chapters, and 39 conference papers, focusing on noise impacts, vocal behavior, and physiological stress markers. Her work informs international policy on marine mammal conservation, with funding from defense and industry sectors. Dunlop advises PhD and honors students on topics within her core research areas of cetacean communication, noise effects, and endocrinology.
Grants and collaborations address critical issues like offshore windfarm noise impacts and vessel collision risks. Her endocrinology lab at Moreton Bay underscores interdisciplinary approaches to understanding whale physiology in changing environments.
