Laura McDonnell Learn more
Laura McDonnell
Interdisciplinary Marine Scientist/Postdoc at WHOI
Laura is a postdoctoral researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution studying how warming oceans and extreme events, such as marine heatwaves, reshape the habitat and movement of sharks, tunas, and other large predatory fish. She combines electronic tagging data with satellite ocean observations to reveal where these animals travel and which ocean features they use in the Northwest Atlantic. She also collaborates with the fishing community to co-develop tools and knowledge critical to adapting to a rapidly changing ocean to keep fisheries thriving and productive in New England.
Marine Predators Group
The group integrates computational, lab, and field research to understand pelagic ecosystems and address emerging ocean management challenges
Sharks and Other Fish
Sharks and fish include bony and cartilaginous species that play vital ecological and economic roles across global ocean ecosystems
Rethinking Ocean Predators
Learn about whale sharks, basking sharks, and more—and what predators can teach us about how the ocean works