Ben Gottesman, Ph.D.

My primary research focus is understanding our changing world through the lens of sound. Through characterizing soundscape-disturbance relationships in diverse habitats, I aim to develop sound-based indicators of ecological disturbance that can advance conservation and habitat management. I have explored this question in a range of ecosystems, including kelp forests, coral reefs, tropical forests, and prairies. How patterns of acoustic diversity and dynamics vary across ecosystems, or how they remain the same, is also a big interest.

Now, at the Yang Center, I am part of our capacity building team. We are striving to make passive acoustic monitoring accessible to anyone who wants to use it for conservation. To do so, we are developing learning materials, organizing workshops and training programs, and trying to remove bottlenecks in order to foster a community of global practitioners. If you would like to learn more about this effort, or are interested in collaborating, please do reach out.

Recent Publications