Maddalena Bearzi (born in Verona, Italy, in 1965) holds a Ph.D. in Biology and a Postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. Since 1990 she studied the ecology of marine mammals and sea turtles. Her research and educational projects around the world include two long-term investigations on local dolphins and sea turtles in Yucatan, Mexico (Rio Lagartos and El Palmar Reserves). In 1996, Maddalena started the first comprehensive marine mammal study ever conducted in the waters off Los Angeles, California. In 1998 she co-founded Ocean Conservation Society taking the position of President. She has a strong academic background in marine biology, ecology, and marine mammal conservation combined with twenty years of field research experience and five years of teaching experience at the University of California. Maddalena has a broad experience as a writer, journalist and television reporter. She has written over 350 popular articles on science, nature and travel. She has published two books: "Beautiful Minds: The Parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins", written in collaboration with Dr. Craig Stanford (Harvard University Press, 2008); and "Dolphin Confidential: Confessions of a Field Biologist" (Chicago University Press, 2012). She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, working on a new book.

Education

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW, MARINE ECOLOGY & OUTREACH EDUCATION 2003—2004
University of California Los Angeles, California
Research and educational programs on “Polar Ecosystems”

Ph.D., BIOLOGY 1998—2003
University of California Los Angeles, California
Ecology of marine mammals in Santa Monica Bay, California

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN NATURAL SCIENCE 1985—1989
University of Padova Padova, Italy
Home range and homing of Podarcis sicula campestris (Reptilia, Lacertidae) in the Tombolo Reserve (Pisa, Italy).

Major professional interests

Marine Mammal & Sea Turtle Ecology, Conservation and Management

Popular Science Writing

Public Awareness, Education and Capacity Building on the Sustainable Use of Marine Resources

Science and Nature Photo-Journalism

 

Experience in ecology and conservation

OCEAN CONSERVATION SOCIETY WINTER 1998—date
Co-Founder and President Los Angeles, California
Conducting marine mammal research; obtaining funding for marine related projects by seeking grants, and contributions; increasing public awareness of problems facing marine ecosystems through development and dissemination of educational materials, lectures, reports, etc; providing student programs and on-the-water internships.

OCEAN TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING 2009
Consultant San Francisco, California
Advising on different aspects of ocean science and marine research; also provide consulting for scientific writing.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2002—2004
Visiting Student Los Angeles, California
Conducting a study on dolphins and African apes sympatric ecology in collaboration with Dr. Stanford (Anthropology Department, University of Southern California).

ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE June 2000—June 2007
Credited student Redlands, California
Participating in ESRI course encompassing practical scientific application of Arcview GIS and ArcGIS I.

TETHYS RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1991—1999
Director and Principal Investigator, Yucatan Project Yucatan, Mexico
Studying ecology of sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata, Chelonia mydas) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve and the El Palmar State Reserve (Yucatan, Mexico) as principal investigator; building local awareness and capacity for conservation through education and outreach programs; developing guidelines for protection of sea turtles in the area; training research assistants, conducting lectures and field research; authoring technical reports, work plans and funding proposals.

MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM 1992—1998
Vice-President, Chelon Rome, Italy
Developing Chelon (Marine Turtle Conservation and Research Program), a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and management of sea turtles; increasing public awareness of the problems facing marine reptiles through research and development and dissemination of educational and conservation programs.

TETHYS RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1990—1998
Principal Investigator Milan, Italy
Conducting sea turtle research in the Mediterranean sea; conducting cetacean research (behavior and photo-ID) in the Caribbean and Adriatic Sea; training research assistants and volunteers for field work; analyzing data.

UNIVERSITY OF PADOVA 1989—1990
Research Assistant, Environmental Analysis Program Padova, Italy
Conducting and managing different environmental impact studies in Northern Italy.

UNIVERSITY OF PARMA 1986—1991
Research Assistant Parma, Italy
Conducting ecological investigations on reptiles and birds under the supervision of Dr. E. Baldaccini.

 

Teaching experience at University of California Los Angeles

Winter 2010
Lecturer, UCLA Extension (Workshop on The Parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins)

Winter 2007, Summer 2009
Lecturer, UCLA Extension (Workshop on Marine Mammals in Our Backyard)

Spring 2006
Lecturer, UCLA Extension (Oceans: New Frontiers)

Winter 2003 – 2004
Lecturer, UCLA Extension (Dolphins, Whales and Seals: The Fascinating World of Marine Mammals

Winter 2003 – 2004
Scientific Supervisor, OBEE 199I (Independent Projects)

Fall 2003 – 2004
Lecturer, OBEE C109 (Introduction to Marine Biology)

Spring 2003 – 2004
Scientific Supervisor, OBEE 195 (Independent Projects)

Winter 2002 – 2003
Lecturer, OBEE 98T (Marine Mammals: Their Ecology and Conservation)

Spring 2001– 2002
Scientific Supervisor, OBEE 199I (Independent Projects)

Spring 2000 – 2001
Teaching Assistant, OBEE 25 (Oceans)

Spring 1999 – 2000
Teaching Assistant, Life Science

Other teaching experience

Fall 1999 – 2000
Teaching Assistant, OBEE 123, 102, 148, 163 (Marine Biology Quarter), Oahu, Hawaii

Professional affiliations

Dolphin Biology & Conservation, Research Team (2011—date)

American Cetacean Society/LA, Scientific Advisory Board Member (2009—date)

UCLA Alumni Association, Life Honorary Member (2002—date)

Society of Marine Mammalogy, Member (2001—date)

Fellowships, grants and awards

Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission Grant ($ 223,00.00); Professional Development Award, UCLA; UCLA Postdoctoral Fellowship ($ 18,700.00); Dr. Thomas James Memorial Fund Award ($ 500.00); Alumni Association Award, Outstanding Graduate Student and Chancellor’s Service Award ($ 500.00, Life Membership - UCLA Alumni Association); Collegium of University Teaching Fellows ($ 5,340.00); OBEE Department Research Grant Support ($ 332.00); Charles E. and Sue K. Young Graduate Student Award ($ 5,000.00); Coastal Environmental Quality Initiative Fellowship ($ 50,000.00); OBEE Department Research Grant Support ($ 1,000.00); Fishbaug Scholarship ($2,000.00) and Adopt-a-Scholar ($500.00); The Affiliates UCLA, Research Mentorship Fellowship, University of California, L.A. ($ 19,874.00); Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project, educational grant ($ 14,000.00); Award of Fellowship Support for the 1999-2000 academic year, UCLA ($ 9,400.00); ESRI grant (GIS courses, software, etc); American Cetacean Society ($ 1,000.00).

Invited participation in seminars, presentations and meetings

2011 - Invited speaker, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA.

2011 - Invited Panelist, Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop, Newport Beach, CA.

2010 - Invited speaker, Ecology Seminar, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA.

2010 - Invited speaker, American Cetacean Society-L.A. Chapter Monthly Meeting, San Pedro, CA.

2009 - Invited speaker, Caltech University, Pasadena, CA.

2008 - Invited speaker, American Cetacean Society-L.A. Chapter Monthly Meeting, San Pedro, CA.

2008 - Invited speaker, Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

2008 - Invited speaker, Skidaway Institute, Savannah, GA.

2007 - Invited speaker, California State University, Long Beach, CA.

2006 - Invited speaker, SCCRWP, Los Angeles, CA.

2005 - Invited speaker, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, Los Angeles, CA.

2005 - Invited speaker, Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, CA.

2005 - Invited speaker, American Cetacean Society-L.A. Chapter Monthly Meeting, San Pedro, CA.

2004 - Invited speaker, Behavioral Ecology Monthly Meeting, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.

2003 - Invited lecturer, COSEE WEST (UCLA & USC lecture series), Los Angeles, CA.

2002 - Invited lecturer, OBEE 98T, UCLA, CA.

2001 - Invited speaker, Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

2000 - Invited lecturer, OBEE Ocean 25, UCLA, CA.

2000 - Invited lecturer, University of Southern California, Marine Biology Seminar, Los Angeles, CA.

1999 - Invited speaker, American Cetacean Society-L.A. Chapter Monthly Meeting, San Pedro, CA.

1997 - Invited speaker, OTS-Roundhouse Aquarium Annual Meeting, Manhattan Beach, CA.

Books

Bearzi M. 2012. Dolphin Confidential: Confessions of a field biologist. Chicago University Press. 224 pp.

Bearzi M., Stanford C.B. 2008. Beautiful Minds: The parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins. Harvard University Press. 351 pp.

 

Scientific publications

Bearzi M. 2012. Cetaceans and MPAs should go hand in hand: a case study in Santa Monica Bay, California. Ocean & Coastal Management.

Bearzi M., Saylan C. 2011. Cetacean ecology for Santa Monica Bay and nearby areas, California, in the context of the newly established MPAs. Southern California Academy of Sciences Bulletin 110(2):35-51.

Bearzi M., Stanford C.B. 2010. A bigger, better brain. American Scientist 98:2-9.

Bearzi M., Patonai K. 2010. Occurrence of the barnacle (Xenobalanus globicipitis) on coastal and offshore common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Santa Monica Bay and adjacent areas, California. Southern California Academy of Sciences Bulletin 109(2):15-22.

Bearzi M., Saylan C., Feenstra J. 2009. Seabird observations during cetacean surveys in Santa Monica Bay, California. Southern California Academy of Sciences Bulletin 108(2):63-69.

Bearzi M. 2009. Dolphins in the water off California. Pp. 116-117 In: Thoreau’s Legacy: American Stories about Global Warming. R. Hayes, ed. Union of Concerned Scientists/Penguin Classics, Cambridge, MA.

Bearzi M., Saylan C., Hwang A. 2009. Ecology and comparison of coastal and offshore bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in California”. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 60(6):584-593.

Bearzi M., Rapaport S., Chau J., Saylan C. 2009. Skin lesions and physical deformities of coastal and offshore common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Santa Monica Bay and adjacent areas, California. Ambio 38(2):66-71.

Bearzi M., Saylan C. 2008. A hand-held, PDA based system for seabird data collection during cetacean surveys. Journal of Marine Animals and Their Ecology (1)1:9-11.

Bearzi M., Saylan C., Barroso C. 2008. Pinniped ecology in Santa Monica Bay, California. Acta Zoologica Sinica 54(1):1-11.

Bearzi M., Stanford C.B. 2007. Dolphins and African apes: comparisons of sympatric socio-ecology. Contributions to Zoology 76(4):235-254.

Navarro M.O., Bearzi M. 2007. Effect of Marine Mammals on Sport Fishery in the Santa Monica Bay, California. Southern California Academy of Science Bulletin 106(3):215-217.

Bearzi M. 2006. California sea lions use dolphins to locate food. Journal of Mammalogy 87(3):606-617.

Bearzi M. 2005. Habitat partitioning by three species of dolphins in Santa Monica Bay, CA. Southern California Academy of Science Bulletin 104(3):113-124.

Bearzi M. 2005. Dolphin sympatric ecology. Marine Biology Research 1:165-175.

Bearzi M. 2005. Aspects of the ecology and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Santa Monica Bay, California. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7(1):75-83.

Bearzi M. 1996. Sea turtles in the El Palmar Reserve, Yucatan: A preliminary study. Marine Turtle Newsletter 75:18-20.

Politi E., Bearzi M., Notarbartolo di Sciara G., Cussino E., Gnone G. 1992. Distribution and frequency of cetaceans in the waters adjacent to the Greek Ionian Islands. European Research on Cetaceans 6:75-78.

 

Reports and theses

Bearzi M. 2005. Do sea lions follow dolphins to enhance their foraging success? Abstract, Proceedings of The XV Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, December 12-16, San Diego, California.

Bearzi M. 2003. Behavioral ecology of the marine mammals of Santa Monica Bay, California. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles. 239 pp.

Bearzi M. 2001. Observations on two species of common dolphins in the Santa Monica Bay, CA. Abstract, Proceedings of The 15th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, May 6-10, Rome, Italy.

Bearzi M. 2001. Observations on two species of common dolphins in the Santa Monica Bay, CA. Abstract, Biology Research Symposium, UCLA Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, May 14, Los Angeles, CA.

Bearzi M. 2001. Spatial habitat partitioning between three dolphin species in Santa Monica Bay, CA. Abstract, Proceedings of The XIV Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, November 28-December 4, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Bearzi M. 2000. First contribution to the knowledge of marine mammals in the Santa Monica Bay, California. Biology Research Symposium, Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, University of California, May 9, 2000, Los Angeles, CA.

Bearzi M., Steinmetz B. 2000. Preliminary observations on marine mammals in the Santa Monica Bay, California. Abstract, Southern California Academy of Science, 2000 Annual Meeting, May 19-20, 2000, Los Angeles, CA.

Bearzi M. 1999. The Los Angeles Dolphin Project. Preliminary Report, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project. 2 p.

Bearzi M. 1999. Data on marine mammals collected during inshore surveys in the Santa Monica Bay, California. Preliminary Report, Chambers & Ass. 8 p.

Bearzi M. 1999. Preliminary observations on marine mammals in the Santa Monica Basin, California. Abstract, Proceedings of The XIII Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, November 27-December 3, Maui, Hawaii.

Bearzi M. 1996. Sea turtles survey to evaluate the human impact in the influence area of salt extraction industry (Rio Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico). Final Report, Industria Salinera de Yucatan, Mexico. 5 p.

Bearzi M. 1996. The El Palmar Project in the Yucatan Peninsula. Universitad Campechana, IX Taller Regional sobre Programas de Conservacion de Tortugas Marinas en la Peninsula de Yucatan, 7-10 February 1996, Campeche, Mexico.

Bearzi M. 1996. Bottlenose dolphins in El Palmar and Rio Lagartos Reserves (Yucatan, Mexico): a preliminary study. Proceedings of The American Cetacean Society Conference, 8-11 November 1996, San Pedro, CA.

Bearzi M. 1991. Il programma vertebrati. Proceedings 12th National Conference of the Scientific Museum Italian Society. Pordenone, Italy, 31 May-2 June, 1991.

Bearzi M. 1989. Osservazioni sull'estensione dell'home range e sulle capacità di homing in Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta, 1857 (Reptilia, Lacertidae) all'interno dell'area di Tombolo (Pisa). Tesi di laurea in Scienze Naturali. Università degli Studi di Padova. 145 pp.

Foà A., Bearzi M., Baldaccini N.E. 1989. Homing and home range in Podarcis sicula (Reptilia, Lacertidae). Proceedings 13th Symposium of the Italian Ethology Society. Perugia, Italy, 19-22 May, 1989.