NYSERDA Webinar: Research and Regulations for Marine Mammal Interactions with Offshore Wind

Douglas Nowacek, Repass-Rodgers Chair of Marine Conservation Technology, Nicholas School of the Environment and Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University: Douglas Nowacek is a University Professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1991 and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1999. Nowacek has focused on the bioacoustics and behavioral ecology of marine mammals, primarily cetaceans, for over 30 years, and his work also includes technology development for marine conservation research. In his joint appointments in the Schools of Environment and Engineering, Nowacek works to bring new technologies to compelling marine science and conservation research questions. One of the current marine conservation issues that is an emphasis of his work is ocean noise and its impacts on marine animals, particularly mammals but also fish and turtles. Nowacek has authored or co-authored more than 100 papers in the peer reviewed literature, publishing in top journals such as Science, Nature, Proceedings of the Royal Society, and the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Nick Sisson, Marine Resources Management Specialist, Protected Resources Division, NOAA Fisheries: Nick is a Marine Resources Management Specialist in the Protected Resources Division at the NOAA Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2012 and his Master of Science from Old Dominion University in 2018. Throughout his career, Nick has used novel tools and technologies to study the physical and biological processes that affect species distributions and their interactions with human activities. Nick’s current work focuses on evaluating the effects of offshore wind energy projects on ESA-listed species and fostering collaboration between regional scientific and management efforts to inform the understanding of the ecological effects of offshore wind energy development in the marine environment.

This webinar is part of the Learning from the Experts series hosted by NYSERDA’s Offshore Wind Team and featuring experts in key offshore wind topics, including wind farm technologies, development practices, regulatory processes, and research initiatives.