Faculty Projects and Publications

Paul E. Nachtigall

Ph.D. 1976, Comparative/Experimental Psychology, University of Hawai‘i
M.S. 1970, Experimental Psychology, California State Univ.-San Jose
B.A. with distinction 1967, Experimental Psychology, California State Univ.-San Jose

Research interests focus on the sensory and perceptual processes of dolphins and small whales. Past research has focused on taste reception, vision, hearing and echolocation of odontocete cetaceans. Current investigations are on the following species: bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), and Melon-headed whales (Peponocepala electra).
Currently conducting research on hearing (sound localization, low frequency audiometrics, evoked auditory potential hearing tests), echolocation (discrimination of buried objects, basic capability of Risso’s dolphin, effects of noise on odontocetes, and modeling discrimination abilities, as well as the examination of hearing processes while the animals echolocate). We are also concerned about echolocation and fish net avoidance and the effects of loud low frequency sounds on the hearing and behavior of whales and dolphins.

Organized 13th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals - 1400 participants.
2002-2004 : President, Society for Marine Mammalogy.
2000-2002: President elect, Society for Marine Mammalogy.
Editor Emeritus, Journal Aquatic Mammals for the European Association for Aquatic Mammals .
Member and Chair, Research Committee of the Humpback Whale Sanctuary Advisory Council .
Scientific Program Chairman, Thirteenth Biennial Conference of the Society for Marine Mammalogy.
Member, University of Hawaii Animal Care and Utilization Committee.