Please note: From May 26 through the end of June, the Aquarium will be making exciting updates to our lobby. Construction should not affect your visit. For guests with sensory needs, KultureCity Bags will now be available at the box office. Thank you for your understanding!
All films in the Simons Theatre are canceled for today, June 4. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Our Experts
Orla O’Brien
Research Scientist
Ecology, Mapping and Assessment of Marine Populations, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean LifeEducation
MS, Marine Biology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 2017
BS, Marine Biology, Brown University, 2010
About
Orla O’Brien is a research scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, in the EcoMAP department. She manages the aerial survey team, which conducts aerial surveys in several key habitats in New England waters, including the wind energy development areas of southern New England, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, and offshore basins of the Gulf of Maine. These surveys identify species such as marine mammals, turtles, and fish, monitor changes in animal populations, and document changes in habitat use.
In addition to leading the data collection efforts for aerial surveys, Orla conducts analyses of these data that further our understanding of marine mammal distributions and how they change over time. This includes assessing seasonal density and abundance of large whales, and looking for trends in habitat use.
Featured Research
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Extralimital sightings of a gray whale in the western North Atlantic
Aquarium Affiliate Author(s): Orla O’Brien, Kate Laemmle, Katherine McKenna, Jessica V. Redfern, PhD
Published September 11, 2025 -
North Atlantic right whale density surface model for the US Atlantic evaluated with passive acoustic monitoring
Aquarium Affiliate Author(s): Laura Ganley, PhD, Amy Knowlton, Scott Kraus, PhD, Orla O’Brien, Jessica V. Redfern, PhD
Published March 20, 2024 -
Repatriation of a historical North Atlantic right whale habitat during an era of rapid climate change
Aquarium Affiliate Author(s): Orla O’Brien, Dan Pendleton, Ph.D., Laura Ganley, PhD, Katherine McKenna, Scott Kraus, PhD, Jessica V. Redfern, PhD
Published July 20, 2022
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Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life
Through pioneering conservation research and strategic partnerships, our team of 40 scientists works to combat the unprecedented impacts on the ocean from climate change and other human activities.
