Noyo Center Talks Science:
Unlocking the Mysteries of Beaked Whales
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
6:00 PM on Zoom
Guest Presenter: Dr. Lisa T. Ballance
Beaked whales are among the most mysterious mammals on Earth—deep-diving, elusive, and rarely seen at the surface. In 2023, a team of researchers led by Dr. Lisa Ballance documented the first confirmed at-sea encounter with the rare Hubbs’ beaked whale (Mesoplodon carlhubbsi) in nearly three decades.
This groundbreaking expedition combined visual observations, genetic confirmation, and acoustic recordings to reveal new insights into the species and confirm the identity of its distinctive echolocation pulse. Dr. Ballance will share highlights from the expedition, discoveries about M. carlhubbsi, and provide an engaging overview of beaked whales as a group—their remarkable adaptations, behaviors, and importance in deep-ocean ecosystems.
This special Zoom presentation also kicks off the Noyo Center’s Hubb’s Beaked Whale Articulation Program, taking place at our Field Station from September 15–20, 2025. Visitors will have the chance to watch our team reassemble the skeleton of a stranded Hubb’s beaked whale, bringing science and community together to honor this rare species.
✨ Join us on Zoom for this rare opportunity to hear from one of the world’s leading marine mammal scientists, and then come to our Field Station during one of our science social events the week of September 15–20 to see the Hubb’s beaked whale articulation unfold in person.
There is no fee for our science talk presentations, but your donations help to support the resources it takes to bring you these programs and speakers.
Dr. Lisa T. Ballance is Director of the Marine Mammal Institute and Endowed Chair for Marine Mammal Research at Oregon State University. She is a leading marine ecologist with nearly four decades of experience studying cetaceans and seabirds around the globe, from the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans to Antarctica and the Bering Sea.
Prior to joining OSU, she directed NOAA’s Marine Mammal and Turtle Research Division and served as Chief Scientist for the Eastern Tropical Pacific Dolphin and Ecosystem Assessment Surveys, helping establish the “Dolphin-Safe” tuna label.
Dr. Ballance has authored more than 100 publications, serves as President-Elect of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her research continues to advance global understanding of marine ecosystems and inform conservation policy.