RESEARCH STAFF

The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI) is an independent marine science center dedicated to research, education, and conservation of marine biodiversity. BDRI’s researchers are experienced biologists familiar with the study area, the animals, the research protocols, safety and other logistics.

 

Our field research experience, innovative technology, and commitment to research, education, and conservation make our institute an important source of knowledge about the marine biodiversity and environment for scientists, decision-makers, and the public.

Marine mammals research Marine mammal research Field research on marine biology Studying dolphins and whales in Spain

 

OUR RESEARCH TEAM

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR AND CHIEF BIOLOGIST

Dr. Bruno Díaz López

Bruno is a Spanish scientist with over 30 years of experience in cetacean research and the founder of BDRI. He has published more than 70 scientific articles in international journals and conferences and has delivered numerous lectures and public talks on cetacean research and conservation worldwide. His primary research interests include behavioral ecology, dolphin communication, and the impacts of human activities on marine mammals.

 

Since beginning his study of marine mammals in 1995, Bruno has conducted research across the Atlantic Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Mediterranean Sea. He holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Bordeaux (France) and previously studied biology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (BSc) and the University of Vigo (MSc) in Spain. Since 2002, he has trained a number of research assistants and supervised over 1000 students on theses about cetaceans in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

 

Bruno is also a reviewer for leading journals in ecology, marine biology, and conservation. Fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and Galician, he is responsible for defining the overall goals of BDRI research projects and for training and supervising PhD students, interns, and volunteers.

 

You can access to his Researchgate Profile here, GoogleScholar profile here and contact him at: bruno@thebdri.com

 

RESEARCH & STAFF MANAGER

Dr. Séverine Methion

Séverine is a French scientist who joined BDRI in 2015 and has worked as a researcher ever since. She is actively involved in field data collection in both the Atlantic Ocean (Spain) and the Persian Gulf (Abu Dhabi), as well as in data analysis. As a marine ecologist at BDRI, she has authored numerous scientific presentations and publications.

 

In 2019, Séverine completed her PhD at the University of Bordeaux (France), focusing on the ecology and behavior of common bottlenose dolphins in Galician waters under the supervision of Dr. Díaz López. Previously, she earned a European MSc in Marine Environment and Resources, jointly awarded by the Université de Bordeaux, Universidad del País Vasco, and the University of Southampton. Her specialization in marine mammal research began during her MSc studies, with a focus on marine ecology in the Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit (Australia), where she studied the ecology of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Perth.

 

Séverine is a reviewer for several prominent scientific journals, international grant proposals, and MSc programs. Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, she is responsible for overseeing the photo-identification work in Galician waters. As the research and staff manager, Séverine trains and supervises all BDRI students, including PhD students, MSc students, and interns.

 

You can access to her Researchgate Profile here, GoogleScholar profile here and contact her at: severine@thebdri.com

 

RESEARCH STAFF

 

Ms. Nathalie Dunel Roig

Nathalie is a Spanish biologist that joined the BDRI in 2021 as an MSc intern studying the impact of fisheries on pelagic bottlenose dolphin with the BDRI (work supervised by Dr. Díaz López & Dr. Methion). She then graduated as a marine biologist from the University Pascal Paoli (Corsica, France) where she presented her MSc thesis. Nathalie is currently a PhD candidate studying the ecology of pelagic bottlenose dolphin at the BDRI under the supervision of Dr. Díaz López & Dr. Methion. She is responsible for the supervising and teaching interns on a daily basis. Nathalie carries out data collection, dolphin photo-identification and GIS analysis. She speaks English, Spanish, French and Catalan.

 

You can access to her Researchgate Profile here and contact her at: nathalie@thebdri.com

 

Ms. Joyce Gabriela Azenha Neves

Joyce is a Portuguese biologist that joined the BDRI in 2021 as an intern to study the diet of Eurasian otters. She then stayed with the BDRI to carry out her MSc thesis studying skin marks in baleen whales (work supervised by Dr. Methion & Dr. Díaz López). She presented her MSc thesis at the Universidade do Algarve in 2022 (Portugal). She previously obtained a BSc in Marine Biology from the Universidade do Algarve (Portugal). She speaks English, Portuguese and French. She is currently carrying her PhD thesis at the BDRI studying the ecology of baleen whales (work supervised by Dr. Methion & Dr. Díaz López). She is responsible for the supervising and teaching interns on a daily basis. Joyce carries out data collection, cetacean photo-identification and diet otter analysis.

 

You can access to her Researchgate Profile here and contact her at: joyce@thebdri.com

 

Ms. Olga Mosca

Olga is an Italian/Canadian marine biologist. She earned her MSc in 2021 with a study on acoustic communication in bottlenose dolphins, using data collected by the BDRI under the supervision of Dr. Díaz López and Dr. Methion. She previously graduated as a biologist from the University of Victoria (Canada) where she presented her BSc in Marine Biology in 2017. She is currently a PhD candidate studying bottlenose dolphin acoustic communication at the BDRI under the supervision of Dr. Díaz López. She first joined the BDRI in 2018 and, up to 2024, was responsible for the coordination of the interns and assisted with the photo-identification work and data collection. She now contributes to data analysis and scientific publication remotely.

 

You can access to her Researchgate Profile Here.

 

Dr. Oriol Giralt Paradell

Oriol is a marine biologist with several experiences in the study of marine mammals. He graduated as a biologist from the University of Barcelona (Spain) and has an MSc in Marine Biology from the University College Cork (Ireland). He obtained his PhD at the University College Cork by studying the ecology of short-beaked common dolphins in Galician waters under the supervision of Dr. Díaz López in 2021. Oriol has joined several conservation and research projects on cetaceans and other marine species in Hawaii (USA) and Barcelona (Spain) in the past. These allowed him to acquire valuable experience on different research techniques that can be applied to cetacean research, such as mark recapture techniques, GIS analysis as well as data collection and analysis. He joined the BDRI in 2017 and, up to 2020, was responsible for the coordination of the interns and volunteers and assists with the photo-identification work and data collection. He now contributes to data analysis and scientific publication remotely.

 

You can access to his Researchgate Profile Here.

 

Ms. Sara Simões

Sara is a Portuguese biologist that joined the BDRI in 2016 as a BSc student and then in 2018 as MSc student. In 2019, Sara joined as an intern coordinator and she graduated as a marine biologist from the University of Aveiro (Portugal) where she presented her MSc thesis. For her MSc thesis, she studied bottlenose dolphin skin marks with the BDRI (work supervised by Dr. Díaz López).

 

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS (INTERNS)

Every year, young and enthusiastic individuals join the BDRI research team to assist with field data collection, office work as well as intern training.

 

Our research team trains future generations of marine scientists and is committed to understanding and reducing the impact of human activities on the marine ecosystems. The BDRI has educational programs aimed at providing extra support for scientists early in their careers, science students, local schools, and scientists from all over the world, from training opportunities in the field to classroom and field research courses. The young scientists that volunteer in exchange for research experience are vital components of the BDRI project. Interns are generally students or recent graduates with backgrounds in biological, environmental, or marine science. Many complete their thesis work with the BDRI. Over the years, the BDRI received more than 1000 interns from over 60 countries including: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands (the), New Zealand, Norway, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela, and Wales.

 

Marine mammal research and educational programs Field research courses on marine biology Studying dolphins and whales in Spain Marine conservation programs

 

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