PhD Students

Megan McKenna 

Undergraduate Degree: B.A.

Undergraduate University: Wittenberg University 

Postgraduate Degree:  M.S.

Postgraduate University: San Diego State University 

Email:  mmckenna@ucsd.edu

Website: http://www.siograddept.ucsd.edu/Profile/index.php?who=mmckenna

Advisor:  John A. Hildebrand

Research Interests:

• The role of ambient noise levels on the ecology and evolution of marine vertebrates.

• How marine vertebrates make and use sound.

• Interactions between sources of sound in the ocean (both man-made and natural) and marine vertebrates

Megan McKenna's research focuses on how marine organisms deal with their changing physical environment, with a specific focus on noise pollution. Her knowledge is general on the topic of climate change but she can address related topics, particularly those with relevance to marine biology.

Selected Publications:
McKenna, MF., Goldbogen, J, Hildebrand, J, and Cranford, T.C. (2007).Evaluation of changes in tissue structure in the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Anatomical Record 290:1023-1032.

Au WWL, Kastelein RA, Benoit-Bird KJ, Cranford TW, McKenna, MF. (2006). Acoustic radiation from the head of echolocating harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Journal of Experimantal Biology 209:2726-2733.

McKenna, MF. (2005). Comparative morphology of the odontocete melon: functional and evolutionary interpretations. Masters Thesis in Biology Department at San Diego State University, San Diego. 211pp.

Soldevilla, M. S., McKenna, MF., Wiggins, S. M., Shadwick, R. E., Cranford, T. W., and Hildebrand, J. A. (2005) Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) head tissues: physical properties and CT imaging. Journal of Experimental Biology 208, 2319-2332.