Anita Murray
Ph.D. Candidate
+61-4-3218-0409
a.murray5@uq.edu.au
Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory
School of Veterinary Science
University of Queensland
Gatton, Qld 4343 Australia
EDUCATION
Ph.D., University of Queensland, expected matriculation 2014
Thesis: Social and Environmental Influences on the Structure of Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Song
M.A., Columbia University in the city of New York, 2007
Thesis: A Characterization and Comparison of Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Song from the
Southern Indian Ocean.
B.Sc. cum laude, San Francisco State University, 2002
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Acoustic Coordinator (9/2010-11/2011) Peregian Beach, Queensland, Australia
BRAHSS-Behavioural Responses of Australian Humpback whales to Seismic Surveys
Coordinated acoustic recording equipment, acoustic data collection, and analysis of humpback whale song
Acoustic Analyst (5/2007-12/2010) Ithaca, New York, USA
Bioacoustic Research Program, Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University
Acoustic analysis using XBAT and Raven, design/document research protocols, generate technical reports
Acoustic Analyst (8/2008) Andros Island, Bahamas
BRS-Behavioral Response Study
Acoustically tracked beaked, sperm, and pilot whales using the AUTEC sensor array and Navy acoustic software
Research Assistant (12/2005-5/2007) New York, New York, USA & Antongil Bay, Madagascar
Ocean Giants Program, Wildlife Conservation Society
Boat based focal recordings of humpback whale song, acoustic analysis using Raven, and photo-identification
Marine Mammal Observer (4/2005-7/2005) Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Survey, LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc.
Shore and boat based observations of beluga whale movement patterns, as well as, photo identification
Research Assistant (1/2004-5/2006) Brooklyn, New York, USA
OLMS-Behavior and Cognition Laboratory, New York Aquarium, Wildlife Conservation Society
Performed mirror self-recognition, and bioacoustics studies involving walruses, and elephants at the Bronx Zoo
Volunteer (9/2003-11/2003) Peregian Beach, Queensland, Australia
HARC-Humpback whale Acoustic Research Collaboration
Passive acoustic tracking with hydrophone array and Ishmael acoustic software, visual tracking utilizing a theodolite
Research Assistant (1/2003-7/2003) Kaikoura, New Zealand
New Zealand Dusky Dolphin Project, Marine Mammal Research Program, Texas A&M University
Theodolite tracking of dusky dolphin movement patterns and boat based photo-identification
Intern (9/2002-12/2002) Galveston, Texas, USA
Marine Mammal Research Program, Behavioral Ecology Lab, Texas A&M University
Matching dorsal fins of bottlenose dolphins using Finscan 1.5.1
Research Assistant (1/2001-5/2002) San Francisco, California, USA
Harbor Seal Ecology Survey, San Francisco State University
Shore and boat based radio tracking of harbor seal movement patterns, habitat use, and site fidelity
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Murray. A., Rice, A., Clark, C.W. (2013) Extended seasonal occurrence of humpback whales (Megaptera
novaeangliae) in Massachusetts Bay. Journal of Marine Biology Association, doi:10.1017/S0025315412001968.
Morano, J., Rice, A., Tielens, J., Estabrook, B., Murray, A., Roberts, B., Clark, C. W. (2012) Year-round presence of
right whales in Massachusetts Bay: Acoustically monitoring for a critically endangered marine mammal in a highly
urbanized migration corridor. Conservation Biology. 26(4): 698-707.
Murray, A., Cerchio, S., McCauley, R., Jenner, C.S., Razafindrakoto, Y., Coughran, D., McKay, S., Rosenbaum, H.
(2012) Minimal similarity in songs suggests limited exchange between humpback whales (Megaptera
novaeangliae) in the southern Indian Ocean. Marine Mammal Science. 28(1): E41-57.
International Whaling Commission Papers
Murray, A., Cerchio, S., McCauley, R., Jenner, C.S., Razafindrakoto, Y., Coughran, D., McKay, S. Rosenbaum, H. (2009)
Comparison of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) songs in the southern Indian Ocean indicates limited
exchange between populations wintering off Madagascar and Western Australia. Paper SC/61/SH9 presented to
the International Whaling Commission, Intercessional Workshop for the Comprehensive Assessment of Southern
Hemisphere humpback whales.
Cerchio, S., Ersts, P., Pomilla, C., Loo, J., Razafindrakoto, Y., Matt, L., Andrianrivelo, N., Mindon, G., Dushane, J.,
Murray, A., Collins, T., and Rosenbaum, H. (2009) Updated estimates of abundance for humpback whale breeding
stock C3 off Madagascar, 2000-2006. Paper SC/61/SH7 presented to the International Whaling Commission,
Intercessional Workshop for the Comprehensive Assessment of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales.
Cerchio, S., Pomilla, C., Ersts, P., Razafindrakoto, Y., Leslie, M., Andrianrivelo, N., Collins, T., Dushane, J., Murray, A.,
Weber, D., and Rosenbaum, H. (2006) Estimation of abundance of breeding stock C3 of humpback whales,
assessed through photographic and genotypic mark-recapture data from Antongil Bay, Madagascar. Paper
SC/A06/HW9 presented to the IWC, Intersessional Workshop for the Comprehensive Assessment of Southern
Hemisphere humpback whales.
Collins, T., Cerchio, S., Pomilla, C., Ngouessono, S., Mbadinga, N., Dushane, J., Murray, A., Weber, D., Ersts, P.,
Rosenbaum, H. (2006) An estimate of abundance using mark recapture data for breeding stock B1: Gabon. Paper
SC/A06/HW10 presented to the IWC, Intersessional Workshop for the Comprehensive Assessment of Southern
Hemisphere humpback whales.
Conference Presentations
Charif, R., Warde, A., Ponirakis, D., Murray, A., Muirhead, C., Pitzrick, M., Clark, C.W., Wisdom, S., Rae, C. (2010)
Results and insights from operational acoustic monitoring networks in the Chukchi Sea, Summer-Fall 2006 and
2008. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 127:1758.
Roberts, B., Burke, E., Dedrick, S., Diamond, C., Estabrook, B., Evans-Wilent, J., Fitzpatrick, D., Howard, B., McCarthy,
C., Morano, J., Muirhead, C., Murray, A., Nelson, D.V., Pelkie, C., Pitzrick, M., Ponirakis, D., Rahaman, A., Rowland,
E., Salisbury, D., Speidel, K., Tielens, J., Tremblay, C., Warde, A., Wurtzell, K., and Clarke, C.W. (2009) Seasonal
Occurrence and Distribution of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Massachusetts Bay and Cape
Cod Bay based on Passive Acoustic Monitoring: May 2007 – May 2009. North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium,
New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, MA USA.
Warde, A., Biedron, I., Mihnovets, N., Diamond, C., Estabrook, B., Evans-Wilet, J., Fitzpatrick, D., Howard, B.,
McCarthy, C., Michalec, J., Morano, J., Muirhead, C., Murray, A., Nelson, D.V., Pelkie, C., Pitzrick, M., Ponirakis, D.,
Roberts, B., Tielens, J., and Clark, C.W. (2009) Seasonal Occurrence and Distribution of North Atlantic Right Whales
(Eubalaena glacialis) off New York Harbor and Long Island using Passive Acoustic Monitoring. North Atlantic Right
Whale Consortium, New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, MA USA.
Tremblay, C., Clark, C.W., Kemp, J., Newhal, K., Diamond, C., Estabrook, B., Howard, B., McCarthy, C., Morano, J.,
Muirhead, C., Murray, A., Nelson, D. V., Pitzrick, M., Ponirakis, D., Roberts, D., Rowland, E., Tielens, J., Warde, A.
(2008) An update on acoustic monitoring systems in Massachusetts Bay: near-real-time reporting to mitigate LNG
ship strikes, seasonal occurrences of calling right whales and quantification of ambient noise. North Atlantic Right
Whale Consortium, New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, MA USA.
Clark, C.W., Tremblay, C., Fowler, M., Ponirakis, D., Diamond, C., McCarthy, C., Morano, J., Muirhead, C., Murray, A.,
Rowland, E., Vannicola, K., Warde, A. (2008) Monitoring, measuring and describing ocean noise over ecologically
viable scales with applications to impacts on large whales. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 123:2987.
Conference Posters
Murray, A., Cerchio, S., McCauley, R., Jenner, C.S., Razafindrakoto, Y., Coughran, D., McKay, S. Rosenbaum, H. (2009)
Comparison of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) songs in the southern Indian Ocean indicates limited
exchange between populations wintering off Madagascar and Western Australia. 18th Biennial Conference on the
Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Tremblay, C. J.; Clark, C. W., Kemp, J., Newhall, K., Diamond, C., Estabrook, B., Howard, B., McCarthy, C., Morano, J.,
Muirhead, C., Murray, A., Nelson, D., Pitzrick, M., Ponirakis, D., Roberts, B., Rowland, E., Spaulding, E., Tielens, J.,
Warde, A. (2009) Cetacean acoustic monitoring systems in Massachusetts Bay: Near-real-time species detection to
mitigate LNG ship strikes, seasonal occurrences of calling right whales, and quantification of ambient noise. 18th
Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Bierdon, I., Mihnovets, N., Warde, A., Michalec, J., Clark, C., Diamond, C., Estabrook, B., Howard, B., McCarthy, C.,
Morano, J., Muirhead, C., Murray, A., Nelson, D., Pitzrick, M., Ponirakis, D., Roberts, B., Rowland, E., Tielens, J.
(2009) Determining the Seasonal Distribution of Cetaceans in New York Coastal Waters using Passive Acoustic
Monitoring. 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Alliger, A., Murray, A., and Reiss, D. (2005) Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) acoustic repertoires: evidence for
ultra and infrasonic signals. 16th Society for Marine Mammal Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine
Mammals in San Diego, California, USA.
Media Coverage
Revkin, A. C. (2012, March 20) Humpback whales yield some sonic secrets to science. The New York Times.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com
Eilperin, J. (2012, February 7) Humpbacks singing a different tune. The Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science
Bryner, J. (2012, February 2) Humpback whales share the seas, but not their songs. Science on msnbc.com.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46243693/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T7IX4J8tiDq
SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS
2012
Marine Mammal Research Fund at the Ocean Foundation, Pacific Life Foundation, $24,800 USD (awarded but
declined due to lack of additional funding)
2011-2014
International Postgraduate Research Scholarship, Australian Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research
and Tertiary Education
University of Queensland Centennial Scholarship, University of Queensland
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
Graduate Student Research Award, Best Conservation Applications/Implications, Columbia University in the City of
New York, 2007
Nominated for Student Representative, Biology Department Honors Convocation, San Francisco State University,
2002
Dean’s list, San Francisco State University, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS
Research Higher Degree Committee – Student Representative
Australian New Zealand Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy – Co-Coordinator
Centre for Marine Science Enhancing Communication Working Group – Student Representative
SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
Society for Marine Mammalogy
The Acoustical Society of America
REFERENCES
Dr. Michael Noad
Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory
University of Queensland
Telephone: +61-7-5460-1876
E-mail: mnoad@uq.edu.au
Dr. Rebecca Dunlop
Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory
University of Queensland
Telephone: +61-7-5460-1963
E-mail: r.dunlop@uq.edu.au
Dr. Anne Goldizen
Behavioural Ecology Research Group
University of Queensland
Telephone: +61-7-3378-6909
E-mail: a.goldizen@uq.edu.au
Dr. Christopher Clark
Bioacoustics Research Program
Cornell University
Telephone: +11-607-254-1108
E-mail: cwc2@cornell.edu
Dr. Salvatore Cerchio
Ocean Giants Program
Wildlife Conservation Society
Telephone: +11-212-313-8721
E-mail: scerchio@wcs.org