Dana Wright aboard a ship.

Dana Wright

  • Research Scientist
  • Education:
    • B.S. Marine and Aquatic Sciences, Minor in Mathematics, University of Maine, 2012
    • M.S. Marine Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2014
    • Ph.D. Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University, 2023
  • Email:
  • Phone:
    • 206-526-6331
  • Location:
    • NOAA AFSC MML, Building 4

Dana Wright is a conservation biologist with expertise in cetacean ecology in Alaskan waters. Her research supports CICOES’ mission by combining bioacoustics, stable isotope analysis, and statistical modeling to understand the impacts of climate variability on marine ecosystems and endangered species. Currently, she is modeling North Pacific right whale acoustic observations alongside prey data and investigating historical distributions of right whales in the North Pacific. Her long-term goal is to develop innovative modeling approaches that enhance marine conservation efforts and inform climate-resilient management strategies for marine mammal populations.

Selected publications

Bonnel J, Thode A, Wright DL, Chapman R (2020) Nonlinear time-warping made simple: A step-by-step tutorial on underwater acoustic modal separation with a single hydrophone. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 147: 1897-1926 https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0000937

Leeuw T, Boss ES, Wright, DL (2013) In situ measurements of phytoplankton fluorescence using low-cost electronics. Sensors 13: 7872-7883 https://doi.org/10.3390/s130607872

Wright DL, Kimmel D, Roberson N, Strausz D (2023). Joint species distribution modeling of zooplankton and right whales. Ecological Applications 33: e2925 https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2925

Wright DL, Busquets-Vass G, Read A, Newsome S (In press). Insights into the trophic ecology of North Pacific right whales using stable isotope analysis. Marine Ecology Progress Series https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14780

Wright DL, Berchok C, Crance J, Clapham PJ (2019). Acoustic detection of North Pacific right whales in the Bering Sea. Marine Mammal Science 37: 77-90 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00915

Wright DL, Castellote M, Berchok CL, Ponirakis D, Crance JL, Clapham PJ (2018) Acoustic detection of North Pacific right whales in a high-traffic Aleutian Pass, 2009-2015. Endangered Species Research 37: 77-90 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00915

Thode A, Bonnel J, Thieury M, Fagan A, Verlinden C, Wright DL, Berchok C, Crance J (2017) Using nonlinear time warping to estimate North Pacific right whale calling depths in the Bering Sea. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 141: 3059-3069 ttps://doi.org/10.1121/1.4982200

Crance JL, Berchok CL, Wright DL, Brewer AM, Woodrich DF (2019) Song production by the North Pacific right whale, Eubalaena japonica. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 145: 3467-3479 https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5111338

Goldwater M, Zitterbart DP, Wright DL, Bonnel J (2022) Machine-learning-based simultaneous detection and ranging of impulsive baleen whale vocalizations using a single hydrophone. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 153: 1094-1107 https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0017118

Rogers AD, Lavelle A, Baird RW, Bender A, Borroni A, Hinojasa GC, et al (2024) A call to rename Ziphius cavirostris the goose‐beaked whale: promoting inclusivity and diversity in marine mammalogy by re‐examining common names. Marine Mammal Science 40: 313150 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13150