I hold a B.Sc. in Marine Sciences (University of Vigo), an international M.Sc. in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (Ghent University), and I completed a Ph.D. in Aquatic Sciences at the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre in ATU (2018-2022), supervised by Dr. Joanne O’Brien and Dr. Martin Gammell.
My doctoral research was focused on the factors affecting local abundance and behaviour of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) at two sites on the west coast of Ireland (the Blasket Islands and Galway Bay) and its implications for management and conservation. The project was conducted through a combination of methods: behaviour, acoustic, and drone techniques.
I have conducted visual and acoustic monitoring of marine mammals across a wide range of land-based, inshore, and offshore research and commercial surveys in Ireland since 2018. My research interests include behavioural ecology and bioacoustics of pinnipeds and cetaceans and how can these be applied for the conservation and management of these species and their habitats.
I am currently a postdoctoral researcher on the EU-funded STRAITS project (Strategic Infrastructure for Improved Animal Tracking) working on passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals and assessing noise levels at different sites across Europe.
