See also: 2015-2016

Joe Roman, Sarah and Daniel Hrdy Fellow in Conservation Biology, Harvard University; Fellow at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, University of Vermont

Whales have long been valued as a source of oil and whalebone. Treated as a commodity throughout history, they are increasingly recognized for their complex forms of communication, even culture, and the ecological role they play in the ocean. Joe Roman will discuss the history and future of whales in the world’s oceans, drawing from historical archives, DNA analyses, ecological studies of whale carcasses in the deep sea, and the effects of whale fecal plumes on ocean productivity. He will also explain why conserving great whales is essential for the welfare of marine ecosystems.