Liz Ferguson
CEO and Founder
Liz Ferguson is a Marine Ecologist and Educator with 19 years of experience in the education and research communities of San Diego. Through much of her career, she has specialized in marine mammal bioacoustic research, with expertise in passive acoustic monitoring and analytical software. More recently, she has pursued studying natural and anthropogenic physical-biological impacts on marine megafauna population dynamics using analytical software such as ArcGIS/QGIS and R. Liz is adept at combining her technical expertise with effective communication of complex topics through outreach and educational materials.
Prior to founding Ocean Science Analytics, Liz worked at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NOAA Fisheries) as a passive and active acoustic technician. In this role, she gained extensive field experience in the Gulf of Mexico, the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and the Pacific Northwest regions. Liz later worked for Bio-Waves Inc., as their Chief Operating Officer (COO), with additional responsibilities in data analytics and project management.
Liz is a graduate of the University of San Diego with a B.A. in Marine Science, and Point Loma Nazarene University with an M.S. in Biology. Liz also possesses a Specialist Certificate in GIS. She is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Biology Departments at Miramar College, California State University San Marcos, and the University of San Diego. She also serves as the Executive Director of Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) of San Diego, a non-profit supporting young women in their pursuit of STEM careers.
Contact Liz: [email protected]
Software Expertise
Presentations & Publications
Elizabeth Ferguson's Research Gate Profile
Hersh, T. A., Gero, S., Rendell, L., Cantor, M., Weilgart, L., Amano, M., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Johnson, C.M., Kerr, I., Payne, R., Rogan, A., Antunes, R., Andrews, O., Ferguson, E.L., Hom-Weaver, C.A., Norris, T.F., Barkley, Y.M., Merkens, K.P., Oleson, E.M., Doniol-Valcroze, T., Pilkington, J.F., Gordon, J., Fernandes, M., Guerra, M., Hickmott, L., & Whitehead, H. (2022). Evidence from sperm whale clans of symbolic marking in non-human cultures. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(37), e2201692119.
Aniceto, A. S., Ferguson, E. L., Pedersen, G., Tarroux, A., & Primicerio, R. (2022). Temporal patterns in the soundscape of a Norwegian gateway to the Arctic. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-15. [Open Access]
Ferguson, E. L., Sugarman, P., Coffey, K. R., Pettis Schallert, J., & Alongi, G. C. (2022). Development of deep neural networks for marine mammal call detection using an open-source, user friendly tool. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 151(4), A28-A28. [Recording of Talk]
Ferguson, E., L. (2022). Evaluation of a Deep Learning Neural Network for Use in Real‐Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring. DCLDE Workshop, Honolulu, HI [Recording of Talk]
Ferguson, E., L. (2021). Synergistic Data Source Approach to Studying Keystone Marine Predators. AGU Conference, B25E: Advances in Remote Sensing for Monitoring Biodiversity Change: Integrating Data and Models Across Scales and Technologies VII Poster [Virtual Poster]
Ferguson, E., Doniol-Valcroze, T., & Nichol, L. (2021). Deriving an acoustic-based abundance estimate for porpoise species in Pacific Canadian waters. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 149(4), A38-A38. [Recording of Talk]
Ferguson, E. (2020). Cross-platform Ecosystem Assessment Through Characterization of Prey Habitat Suitability and Predator Occurrence off Newport, Oregon. Ocean Sciences Meeting, 2020. [Poster available on Research Gate]
Smith, H. R., Zitterbart, D. P., Norris, T. F., Flau, M., Ferguson, E. L., Jones, C. G., Boebel, O., & Moulton, V. D. (2020). A field comparison of marine mammal detections via visual, acoustic and infrared (IR) imaging methods offshore Atlantic Canada. Marine pollution bulletin, 154, 1-16. [Copy available on Research Gate]
Ferguson, E. (2019). Applications for marine mammal studies using passive acoustic data from the Coastal Endurance array off Newport, Oregon. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 146(4), 2770-2770. [Conference Abstract]
Norris, T. F., K. J. Dunleavy, T. M. Yack, & E. L. Ferguson. 2017. Estimation of minke whale abundance from an acoustic line transect survey of the Mariana Islands. Marine Mammal Science. [Copy available on Research Gate]
Oswald, J. N., T. F. Norris, T. M. Yack, E. L. Ferguson, A. Kumar, J. Nissen, and J. Bell. 2016. Patterns of occurrence and marine mammal acoustic behavior in relation to navy sonar activity off Jacksonville, Florida. In: A.N. Popper and A. Hawkins (eds). The effects of noise on aquatic life II, Springer, New York, pp. 791-799. [Chapter]
Oswald, J. N., C. S. Oedekoven, T. M. Yack., C. G. M. Paxton, V. Popov, L. Thomas, R. Walker, E. Ferguson, and T. Norris. 2016. Increasing Sample Size for Examining Changes in Vocal Behavior in Relation to Navy Sonar Activity: Final Report. Submitted to HDR Environmental, Operations and Construction, Inc. Norfolk, Virginia, under contract no.CON-005-4394-009. Prepared by Bio-Waves, Inc., Encinitas, California and Center for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. [PDF]
Ferguson, E. L. (2014). An Exploration of Graphing Software Program Selection and Relative Proficiency Among Undergraduate Biology Students (Master’s thesis). Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA. [PDF]
Oswald, J. N., C. S. Oedekoven, T. M. Yack, R. Langrock, L. Thomas, E. Ferguson, and T. Norris. 2014. Development of statistical methods for examining relationships between odontocete vocal behavior and navy sonar signals: Preliminary report. Submitted to HDR Environmental, Operations and Construction, Inc. Norfolk, Virginia, under contract no.CON-005-4394-009. Prepared by Bio-Waves, Inc., Encinitas, California and Center for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, St. Andrews University, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. [PDF]
Rone, B. K., A. B. Douglas, T. M. Yack, A. N. Zerbini, T. N. Norris, E. L. Ferguson, and J. Calambokidis. 2014. Report for the Gulf of Alaska Line-Transect Survey (GOALS) II: Marine Mammal Occurrence in the Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA). Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii under Contract No. N62470-10-D-3011, Task Order 0022, issued to HDR Inc., San Diego, California. Prepared by Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, Washington; Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington; and Bio-Waves, Inc., Encinitas, California. April 2014. [PDF]
Norris, T. F., J. O. Oswald, T. M. Yack, and E. L. Ferguson. 2012. An Analysis of Marine Acoustic Recording Unit (MARU) Data Collected off Jacksonville, Florida in Fall 2009 and Winter 2009 2010. Final Report. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-10-D-3011, Task Order 021, issued to HDR Inc., Norfolk, Virginia. Prepared by Bio-Waves Inc., Encinitas, California. [PDF]
Norris, T. F., J. Oswald, T. Yack, E. Ferguson, C. Hom-Weaver, K. Dunleavy, S. Coates and T. Dominello. 2012. An Analysis of Acoustic Data from the Mariana Islands Sea Turtle and Cetacean Survey (MISTCS). Prepared for Commander, Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, HI. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific (NAVFAC), EV2 Environmental Planning, Pearl Harbor, HI, 96860-3134, under Contract No. N62470-10D-3011 CTO KB08, Task Order #002 issued to HDR, Inc. Submitted by Bio-Waves Inc., Encinitas, CA 92024. [PDF]
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