Joëlle De Weerdt

Dr. Joëlle De Weerdt’s research focuses on the ecology, behavior, and population biology of marine megafauna, with a special emphasis on how changes in marine ecosystems affect communities, populations, animal movement, and individual behaviors. During her PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, she studied humpback whale ecology along the Pacific coast of Central America, documenting migratory behaviors, habitat use patterns, and supplemental feeding in breeding areas. Her work employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating mark-recapture through photo-identification, biotelemetry, field observations, acoustic and genetic analyses, as well as citizen science data. Her research leverages cutting-edge technologies to advance marine science and provides critical insights to inform management strategies and mitigate anthropogenic stressors in tropical marine ecosystems. She is a recipient of a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship and has conducted extensive field research across Central America.