Dr. Greg O'Corry-Crowe, Associate Research Professor, Florida Atlantic University

Photo credit: Blair Mott

Greg O'Corry-Crowe began his research on beluga whales in 1992 when he left his native Ireland for a post-doctoral fellowship on beluga whales at the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. While his interests in molecular ecology brought him to that Agency's genetics lab in La Jolla, California, he soon realized that a more complete understanding of beluga biology required extended periods in the field observing belugas in the wild, while a fuller appreciation of the conservation issues involved would come from working alongside aboriginal hunters and Native communities across the arctic.

Greg is currently an Associate Research Professor and leader of the Polar Research Program at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. His team's research focuses on the use of molecular genetic techniques and satellite-linked telemetry in the study of the molecular and behavioral ecology of temperate, and Polar marine mammals, including beluga whales, Steller sea lions and four species of Arctic ice seal. He is particularly interested in the interactions between these apex predators and their environment, and the application of his group's research findings to the conservation and management of these species. His research interests extend beyond the marine realm to the evolution of social behavior and mating systems in mammals, and the role of individual fitness in population viability and adaptation.