Susan E. Parks

Susan E. Parks is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences. She founded the Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab, where she investigates animal communication and the impacts of human-generated noise on marine and terrestrial species. Her work bridges behavioral ecology, bioacoustics, and conservation biology with a focus on endangered marine mammals like North Atlantic right whales.

• Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography (MIT & Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2003)
• B.A. in Biology (Cornell University, 1998)

Her research spans bioacoustics, animal behavior, and conservation technology. Recent projects include whale communication studies, acoustic monitoring of marine mammals, and noise pollution analysis. She has published extensively in journals like PLOS ONE, Royal Society Open Science, and Marine Mammal Science.

Recent publications emphasize passive acoustic monitoring techniques, interspecies communication analysis, and noise impact mitigation. Lab projects range from whale vocal development to elephant acoustic behavior in the Congo basin.

• Young Investigator Award (Office of Naval Research)
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Parks mentors students through research projects and courses like Biology of Marine Mammals, while leading grants from the Department of Energy, Office of Naval Research, and offshore wind organizations. Her work contributes to offshore wind risk assessment and wildlife conservation.