Patrick N. Halpin
Director of the Geospatial Ecology Program
Associate Professor of Marine Geospatial Ecology
Marine Science & Conservation
Environmental Sciences & Policy
Patrick Halpin is an Associate Professor of Marine Geospatial Ecology and Director of the Geospatial Analysis Program at the Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Lab. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia in 1995. Prof. Halpin’s research focuses on marine geospatial analysis, ecological applications of geographic information systems and remote sensing; and marine conservation and ecosystem-based management. Prof. Halpin leads the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab at Duke University and sits on a number of international scientific and conservation program steering committees. [see also: Patrick N. Halpin Faculty Page]
Nicholas School of the Environment
Box 90328
Research Drive
Durham, NC 27708-0328
919-613-8062
fax: (919) 684-8741
Research Scientists
Ana Cañadas
Research Scientist Ana has been doing research on cetaceans since 1990. She has spent more than 20 years doing ship-board field work, up to five months a year, devoting the rest of the time to data analysis. Her main research interests are in populations abundance, distribution and ecology, and the application of science informing conservation…
Andre Boustany
Research Scientist @
Daniel Dunn
Research Scientist 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort, NC 28516 @ Daniel is an assistant research professor with the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab at Duke University. As an interdisciplinary marine conservation scientist, he strives for an integrative approach bringing together ecology, biogeography, oceanography, conservation, natural resource management and social sciences (particularly with respect to governance).…
Ei Fujioka
Research Scientist Ei Fujioka is a lead developer of marine biogeographic information centers including OBIS-SEAMAP, OBIS, and MiCO.eco/system. A328 LSRC BuildingResearch DriveDuke UniversityDurham NC 27708@
Robert Schick
Robert Schick Research Scientist a328 LSRC Building Research Drive Duke University Durham NC 27708@
PhD Students
Guillermo Ortuño Crespo
A Ph.D. student at Duke’s Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab and a Fellow with the UBC-Nippon Foundation Nereus Program, he seeks to better understand the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of highly mobile species through the use of different spatial modelling approaches. With an interest in commercially exploited pelagic species and the bycatch of non-target species, he…
Jonathan Choi
Jonathan is a J.D.-Ph.D. student at the Duke School of Law and the Duke Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab. Broadly, Jonathan seeks to better understand the intersection of legal and ecological processes, particularly as it relates to species conservation, biogeography, and ecological connectivity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Before joining the lab in the fall of…
Sarah Roberts
Sarah Roberts is a Ph.D. student at Duke University’s Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab. She recently obtained her M.E.M degree in Coastal Environmental Management from Duke University. Her PhD research examines the effects of climate, benthic habitat, and cyclical oscillations on the Mid and South Atlantic Bight ecosystems. a328 LSRC Building Research Drive Duke University…
Research Staff
Brian Wong
Research Associate
Sarah DeLand
Research Associate @
Sarah Poulin
Sarah first joined the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab in September 2016 as a graduate student and her work has focused on the Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean (MiCO) System with the Sea Turtle and Seabird teams. After graduating with her Masters in Environmental Management from Duke in May 2018, Sarah joined the lab full time to focus on the continuation of MiCO and applications of the system for…
Jason Roberts
Originally a software engineer with a passion for scuba diving and other marine hobbies, Jason left Microsoft in 2003 to pursue a full time career in marine research and conservation. At the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, he splits his time between writing software tools and conducting scientific research. He is interested in facilitating progress in…
Jesse Cleary
Jesse is a geographer with a background in GIS and Remote Sensing and interests in spatial ecology, spatial data science, open-source GIS, and marine spatial planning. He works on a range of data provisioning, cartography, and applied marine GIS projects across the lab, translating the science work of the lab for use in spatial planning…
Connie Kot
Associate in Research, SWOT Database Manager135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort, NC 28516@ Connie has worked on a variety of projects with the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, including the Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean initiative (MiCO), State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT), Ocean Biogeographic Information System – Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations (OBIS-SEAMAP), and…
Corrie Curtice
Research Analyst 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort, NC 28516 @ Corrie joined the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab in 2009 after completing her Master’s of Environmental Management at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment with specialties in coastal environmental management and geospatial analysis. With an undergraduate degree in Computer and Information Science and 15 years…
Ben Donnelly
Ben joined MGEL in 2007 and plays a key role in many ongoing projects including OBIS-SEAMAP, the Marine Ecosystem Services Project and work with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. With Pat Halpin and Jesse Cleary, he helped create the Census of Marine Life “Map of Ocean Life”, published by National Geographic. Ben Donnelly Research…
MGEL Alum
- Ben Best – PhD
- Maria De Oca – PhD
- Ellie Heywood – Research Associate
- Erin LaBrecque – PhD
- Laura Mannocci – Postdoctoral Researcher
- Jerry Moxley – PhD
- Shay Viehman – PhD
- Eric Treml – PhD