LIAH MCPHERSON
PhD student
My research focuses on the behavior, ecology, and conservation of cetaceans, with an emphasis on using novel technologies such as unoccupied aerial systems, high-resolution biologging tags, and photo-identification to address key questions in marine mammal science. In August 2023, I defended my master’s thesis on the abundance and demographic parameters of spinner dolphins off Oʻahu’s Waiʻanae Coast, providing the first systematic estimates for this population and important data for long-term monitoring and management. Building on this foundation, my PhD research examines the emerging use of Sitka Sound, Alaska, by Eastern North Pacific gray whales, focusing on their foraging behavior, population health, and interactions with Pacific herring, and exploring the ecological, cultural, and economic significance of their presence in Sitka.
email: liahlm@hawaii.edu
For publication pdfs, please visit the following links:
Biography
Liah is a PhD student in the Marine Biology Graduate Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and graduate fellow with the Alaska Whale Foundation. Hailing from the cozy beach town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, she’s been studying dolphins since 2009 and has worked with numerous research organizations since then to study a wide range of cetacean species. She earned dual bachelor's degrees in Biology and Animal Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019, and a master's degree in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2023. An avid freediver, photographer, boat captain and science communicator, Liah is passionate about exploring and protecting marine ecosystems.
Publications
2025
Patton, P. T., Pacifici, K., Baird, R. W., Oleson, E. M., Allen, J. B., Ashe, E., ... McPherson, L. ... & Bejder, L. (2025). Optimizing automated photo identification for population assessments. Conservation biology, e14436.
2024
McPherson, L., Badger, J., Fertitta, K., Gordanier, M., Nemeth, C., & Bejder, L. (2024). Quantifying the abundance and survival rates of island-associated spinner dolphins using a multi-state open robust design model. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 14764.
2023
McPherson, L. (2023). Abundance and demographic parameters of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris subsp.) off Oʻahu's Waiʻanae Coast. University of Hawai'i at Manoa. (Master's thesis)
Patton, P. T., Cheeseman, T., Abe, K., Yamaguchi, T., Reade, W., Southerland, K., ... McPherson, L. ...& Bejder, L. (2023). A deep learning approach to photo–identification demonstrates high performance on two dozen cetacean species. Methods in ecology and evolution, 14(10), 2611-2625.