Ph.D. Students
Ann-Marie Jacoby
I’m a Ph.D. candidate in the Marine Science and Conservation program and associate director of the Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project. I’m broadly interested in how conservation efforts (from the species to ecosystem level) evolve to include growing and changing information on both biological and social systems. My dissertation is a spatially and temporally dynamic study on Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops erebennus) that inhabit the Potomac River and middle Chesapeake Bay, USA. Specifically, the objectives of my dissertation are to: 1) reconstruct the historic occurrence of dolphins in the Potomac through fishers’ knowledge and historical texts; 2) establish a baseline understanding of the current occurrence of dolphins in the Potomac-middle Chesapeake (i.e., number of individuals, number of mother-calf pairs, seasonality, temporal site fidelity, behavior, and ecological drivers for any observed patterns); and 3) determine any patterns in their geographic connectivity along the Mid-Atlantic. The overarching goal of my research is twofold. I aim to inform the management of bottlenose dolphins in the Mid-Atlantic by providing managers with information that is currently absent for the region, and I seek to produce questions and hypotheses on the behavior, ecology, and population dynamics of dolphins in the area for future study (by others and hopefully myself!).
For more, see my Google Scholar or ResearchGate profile.
Amelia Johnson
I am a PhD candidate in Marine Science and Conservation. I am interested in the sensory structures of navigation in long-distance marine migrants. For my dissertation, I am examining navigational techniques of cetaceans from several different perspectives, including satellite tag analysis, behavioral studies, and an anatomical investigation for a magnetoreceptor.
Before coming to Duke, I completed a B.S. in Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). During my undergraduate career, I was the Undergraduate Stranding Coordinator for the UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program and a NOAA Hollings Scholar. I also completed a MSc in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). My masters research focused on the fine-scale foraging techniques of the harbor porpoises using digital acoustic recording tags (DTAGs).
Brianna Elliott
I’m a PhD candidate in the Marine Science and Conservation program, and I am also pursuing a Certificate in College Teaching. My research interests broadly lie in international protected species policy, law, diplomacy, and conservation biology. I am particularly interested in the efficacy of multilateral institutions and treaties in addressing protected species bycatch, such as through Regional Fisheries Management Organizations. My research examines Indian Ocean bycatch and bycatch policy for tuna drift gillnet fisheries, which are data deficient but thought to have very high bycatch. My dissertation aims to help address some of these knowledge gaps, as well as consider unilateral and multilateral approaches to addressing this bycatch.
My research interests in bycatch, policy, and management are influenced from my prior work experience, including as a former NOAA Knauss Marine Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, a Foreign Affairs Specialist working on the MMPA Import Provisions Rule at NOAA Fisheries, and, importantly, as a masters student in Dr. Read’s lab in 2015-2017. I enjoy running, rock climbing, kayaking, and hanging out with my dog, Brisbane, in my spare time.
Websites
- Personal: https://brianna-elliott.weebly.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannawelliott
Annie Harshbarger
I’m a PhD candidate in Marine Science & Conservation, and I am broadly interested in collective movement ecology, group decision-making, and other social processes that could impact cetaceans’ resilience to conservation threats. My dissertation research focuses on group coordination and individuals’ influence over group decision-making during foraging dives in groups of short-finned and long-finned pilot whales. Using digital acoustic tags (DTAGs) and unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS, or drones), I will identify factors that influence movement decisions whales make at several points throughout a dive – including horizontal movement at the surface, individual paths during foraging, and reunification with group members during ascent – allowing social groups to maintain cohesion over time.
Before starting my PhD, I completed my B.S. in Environmental Sciences and Biology at Duke. My undergraduate research with the Duke Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab and the NOAA Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program focused on the behavioral response of wildlife to UAS, with the goal of developing species-specific best practices for the use of UAS as a tool for conservation research. After completing my undergraduate studies, I collected sightings and behavior data on large cetaceans in the Gulf of Maine as a research assistant for Allied Whale.
Email: anne.harshbarger@duke.edu
Arona Bender
My research interests broadly encompass conservation strategies for the recovery and maintenance of marine vertebrate populations. Using satellite-linked telemetry, my dissertation research focuses on exploring patterns and variations of sea turtles nesting in Guyana with the goal of describing their inter-nesting habitats, foraging grounds, and migratory corridors. Additionally, I will employ an innovative monitoring protocol that involves using drones equipped with thermal cameras to survey remote nesting beaches, thereby enhancing data gathering efforts in this region. Prior to starting my PhD, I received a B.S degree in Biological Sciences from Georgia State University, followed by a M.S degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University as a NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC) graduate fellow. My master’s thesis focused on estimating the effective population size and historical demography of leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in the Antarctic Peninsula using molecular genetic methods.
Email: arona.bender@duke.edu
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arona-bender-144502107/
Maddie Paris
I’m interested in pinniped conservation ecology and the implications of range-expanding species. My research focuses on the small seasonal population of harbor seals in North Carolina and investigates the ecological and social impacts of this range-expanding population. Prior to beginning my PhD, I earned a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Sciences from Duke University and a MSc in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St Andrews. My undergraduate thesis work examined Southern sea otter and seabird habitat use in the Elkhorn Slough National Estuary Research Reserve and the possible impacts of human disturbance. For my master’s thesis, I mapped potential harbor seal conservation sites in the Wash, England using telemetry tag data across different years and seasons to understand the temporal stability of these sites and to provide management recommendations. I also spent a field season conducting boat-based surveys in Shark Bay, Australia with the Shark Bay Dolphin Project and worked for the Duke Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab as a research technician and social communications manager.
Email: madeleine.paris@duke.edu
Master’s Students
Emma Beyer
I am a second year Master of Environmental Management candidate, with concentrations in Coastal & Marine Science and Environmental Analytics & Modeling. Before coming to Duke, I graduated from Whitman College in 2021 with a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies. Following graduation, I volunteered with the Sea Watch Foundation in Wales. My role involved assisting on vessel-based, land-based, and acoustic surveys to monitor bottlenose dolphins, harbor porpoises, and gray seals in Cardigan Bay. It was here where I gained experience in dolphin behavior, cetacean identification, and dolphin fin identification.
My research interests focus on cetacean behavior and conservation, particularly population ecology. I am interested in exploring how cetacean populations are impacted by fisheries, eco-tourism, and climate change, and developing management strategies that benefit both cetaceans and human communities. For my Master’s Project, I will investigate the effects of anthropogenic pressures and harassment on the behavior of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in eastern Puerto Rico. Outside of my academic pursuits, I enjoy baking, hiking, birding, golfing, reading, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
Email: emma.beyer@duke.edu
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/emmabeyer
Katie Tack
I am a second year Master of Environmental Management student with concentrations in Coastal and Marine Systems as well as Environmental Analytics and Modeling. I am also pursuing the Geospatial Analysis certificate. For my master’s project, I am working with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) to attempt to make a global cetacean bycatch estimate. Prior to starting at Duke, I was enrolled at Washington College as a 3-2 student and I graduated with my B.A. in Environmental Studies in 2024. During my undergraduate degree, I gained experience in using GIS in a variety of fields. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, kayaking, and reading.
