Howard E. Woodin Environmental Studies Colloquium Series talk by Megan McKenna

“Listening to a changing world: what soundscapes can teach us” an Environmental Studies Colloquium Series talk by Megan McKenna, Academic Director of Study Away at Monterey, including California Coast and Climate Semester, Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Senior Data Scientist, affiliate with NOAA National Center for Environmental Information.

Soundscapes hold rich information about our rapidly changing world. Opportunities to leverage these sounds are emerging with applications for understanding animal behavior, monitoring conservation efforts, and imagining solutions. Using examples from Blue Whales to Giant Sequoia Forests, this talk aims to introduce this diverse field of study (and play some cool sounds!).

Dr. Megan McKenna is a marine scientist and educator with more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of science and policy. Megan is a leader in ocean soundscape research and serves on national and international committees to develop standards and frameworks for a quieter future. To implement these solutions, Dr. McKenna has listened and continues to listen above and below water through collaborative projects at regional, national, and international scales.

McKenna earned her PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and went on to work for the US Marine Mammal Commission and then the US National Park Service. Returning to the California coast, Megan continues her research with partners such as the National Marine Sanctuary and California Ocean Alliance. Megan teaches for various programs offered through Middlebury Institute of International Studies, including the Middlebury School of the Environment, California Coast and Climate Semester, and the graduate program in Environmental Policy and Management.