Speaker: Kristin Laidre (Associate Professor at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences; Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington).

My talk will cover the biology and ecology of ice-dependent and ice-associated marine mammals (seals, whales and polar bears) that inhabit the icy waters of Greenland based on two decades of field research. I will cover how these species are important for indigenous communities and discuss the observed and expected impacts of climate change. I will provide some recent results from an international study of the Baffin Bay polar bear subpopulation where the impacts of sea ice loss are evident based on movements, body condition and reproductive metrics. I will also talk about our ongoing work on narwhals that inhabit glacier fronts in West Greenland.

Bio: Dr. Kristin Laidre is a Principal Scientist at the Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington working on problems of applied animal ecology in the Arctic. She is an Associate Professor at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. She was named a Pew Marine Conservation fellow in 2017. Kristin’s research is focused on broad questions about Arctic marine mammals. Her research is field-based, largely empirical, and focuses on using quantitative data on individual movements, foraging behavior, and life history to unite behavioral, population, and evolutionary ecology. She is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Cetacean Specialist Group and the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group. She has participated in over 50 field expeditions in Greenland and authored or co-authored over 120 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 3 books on high-latitude marine mammals. Kristin is broadly involved in science communication outside of the university, including local high schools, elementary schools, museums, and community centers. She also takes creative approaches to science communication and outreach, often partnering with artists. Her research has been featured multiple times in National Geographic, the New York Times, National Public Radio, Washington Post, BBC, New Scientist, Smithsonian Magazine, National Wildlife Magazine, the Sunday Telegraph, Reuters, Good Morning America, CBS, NBC, and many other international media outlets.+info: https://staff.washington.edu/klaidre.