Celebrating Achievement: Taylor Hersh Wins L’Oreal Women in Science Award
A Prestigious Recognition
Renowned Oregon State University researcher, Taylor Hersh, has been honored as one of the recipients of the 2024 L’Oreal Women in Science Award. This prestigious accolade, awarded to only five women in the field, includes a generous $60,000 grant to aid Hersh in her ongoing research and public outreach initiatives.
Watch the video L’Oreal produced to explore more about Hersh’s groundbreaking work.
Research Focus: The Melodies of Bowhead Whales
Hersh’s research dives deep into the melodic world of bowhead whales in the Arctic. Her focus is on deciphering the complexity of their songs, tracking how many distinct song types they sing and how long each lasts before a new tune emerges. Her fascinating research captures the beauty of nature’s voice right where it thrives.
The Research Scholars at OSU
A part of the Marine Mammal Institute at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, Hersh collaborates with pioneering research groups:
- The Lab for Animal Behavioral Interaction Research in the Ocean (LABIRINTO) led by Mauricio Cantor.
- The Marine Mammal Bioacoustics and Ecology Lab with Dr. Kate Stafford.
“Both labs have been instrumental in advancing my project,” Hersh remarked, highlighting the support in her successful award application. “Approaching the application felt like a long shot, but their encouragement made a world of difference,” she confessed about her initial doubts.
A Message to Aspiring Women Scientists
Hersh’s advice to fellow women in science: “Don’t count yourself out before you even apply.” She emphasizes that overcoming self-doubt is essential in advancing one’s career, lamenting that many women refrain from applying for such recognitions prematurely.
Expanding Research Horizons
The awarded grant supports various facets of Hersh’s research:
- Funding her and an undergraduate assistant’s part in analyzing whale song recordings.
- Facilitating her participation in the Alaska Marine Science Symposium set for January, allowing her to present groundbreaking work.
Beyond research, the grant supports a unique musical collaboration with childhood friend and Julliard-trained musician, Molly Joyce. The duo plans to musicalize bowhead whale songs, creating an auditory bridge between marine science and music.
Why Bowhead Whales Matter
Bowhead whales, often celebrated as the “jazz singers” of the marine world, boast incredible vocal versatility unseen in other mammals. Their unique ability to sing dual-notes, likened to human throat-singing, speaks volumes about their complexity.
Hersh is eager to dive deeper into these creatures’ lives. Previous research from Stafford’s lab recorded over 180 different songs within three years from one bowhead pod. Hersh’s endeavor seeks to determine if these patterns persist in other whale populations.
The Unique Characteristics of Bowhead Whales
Among all whales, bowheads shine in various “superlative” categories, says Hersh:
- Possessing the longest baleen, the thickest blubber.
- A lifespan extending beyond 200 years.
- Adapted to Arctic ecosystem, using a head bump to break ice for breathing.
Challenges Facing Bowhead Whales
Hersh intends to leverage her research to generate awareness about the threats to bowhead whales, driven by a climate in flux:
- Reducing sea ice introduces more vessels in the Arctic, escalating risks of ship strikes, pollution, and noise.
- Shifting prey distributions and increased interspecies competition from whale species migrating into the bowheads’ habitats.
- The Arctic region, warming at alarming rates — four times faster than elsewhere globally, creating spotlight urgency on the issues affecting polar ecosystems.
Concluding Thoughts
Hersh’s research not only capitalizes on scientific advancement but also bears an implicit call to harness oceanic arts in portraying the brittle beauty and emerging challenges of the Arctic deep. Her findings represent a collaborative effort to understand and preserve a world much hidden yet immensely impactful, aiming for a story that resonates with all who value the wonders of life and the urgency of sustaining it.
Source: https://today.oregonstate.edu/all-stories/osu-whale-researcher-taylor-hersh-wins-60000-l%E2%80%99oreal-women-science-award