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The ONDAS Lab is committed to equity, justice, and inclusivity in STEM.

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Assistant Professor
Department of Biology, University of Vermont.
Research Associate, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, SI.
Chair of the Committee of Scientific Advisors, The Society of Marine Mammalogy.
Member of the UVM SACNAS Chapter
Phone: (802) 656-4138
Office: 215 MLS; Lab 224
Department of Biology, UVM
Email: [email protected]

Google Scholar Page

instagram: @maycolladolab
Bluesky: @ondaslab

Interests: Evolution, Behavior, Conservation

I am a marine mammal evolutionary biologist researching the phylogenetic and ecological factors shaping the
acoustic repertoire of aquatic mammals. My research implements phylogenomics, field observations, autonomous underwater recording systems, unmanned aerial vehicles to study, and machine learning tools to study the diversity of communicative signals produced by aquatic mammals in their natural environment. Our research is done in collaboration with local scientists and students in Central America in an effort to ensure we contribute to the formation of the next generation of Hispanic marine mammal scientists in the region.

Tursiops truncatus-Photo by Laura May-Collado

Steno bredanensis-Photo by Ana Lucia Rodriguez

Sotalia guianensis -Photo by Laura May-Collado

NSF-IRES Summer 2025 reception of applications is open

Publication Alert!

Antichi, S., Rege-Colt, M., Austin, M., May-Collado, L.J., Carlon-Beltran, O., Urban, J., Martinez-Aguilar, S., and L. Viloria-Gomora. 2024. Whistles contour variation between two sympatric dolphin species in the Gulf of California. Hydrobiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05675-3

Contributions to Inclusion in Science and Public Engagement

First collection of studies on the biology of marine mammals of Central America!

aquatic_mammals_special_issue_rbt_completo.pdf
File Size:	24409 kb
File Type:	pdf

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Sonidos de Osa is a collaboration between our lab and musicians from Costa Rica, a tribute to the whales and nature of Osa.

International Collaborations

Worlds Ocean Passive Acoustic Monitoring Day "Listening for World Oceans Day

LECAN is directed by Dr. Juan Jose Alvarado at UCR/CIMAR with whom we will be staring the IRES-NSF funded marine biology training program.

Continue collaboration with Panacetacea to deploy Soundtraps in Gulf of Chiriqui.

Our current fieldwork involves the continuation of the ONDAS Initiative by deploying more soundtraps and hydromoths in the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Central America. The ONDAs project involves a series of studies on the communication and behavioral ecology of humpback whales (northern and southern populations) and toothed whales in the region, and the study of the soundscape of various marine communities. To follow our work in Instagram @maycolladolab and bluesky @ondaslab

Posdoctoral Fellow Eric Ramos using a drone to follow mixed species dolphin groups in Gandoca Manzanillo, Costa Rica. Photo Laura J May Collado

Photographing and recording humpback whales (breeding stock G) in the waters of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Photo by Laura J May Collado

Postdoc Eric Ramos studying manatee behavior in Belize. Photo by Eric Ramos

A mixed species group of dolphins with bottlenose and Guiana dolphins in Gandoca-Manzanillo, Costa Rica. Photo by Eric Ramos.

AMP student Franny Oppenheimer and PhD student Ilaria Coero Borga, studying humpback whales in the Gulf of Chiriquí Panama with researcher Kristin Rasmussen.

Dr. May-Collado studying whales in Santa Elena Bay, Costa Rica. Photo by Laura J May Collado

Collaborators Jeremy Kiszka and Jose David Palacios photographing Guiana dolphins in Gandoca Manzanillo. Photo Laura J May Collado

Researcher Jose David Palacios deploying hydromoths recorders in coral reefs to study the effect of bleaching on the soundscape (photo by Ana Lucia Rodriguez Tinoco)