Brendan Shea

IGC FELLOW    |   Global Change Center

Ph.D. Student  •  Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Research Interests: Marine ecology; predator-prey dynamics; ecological role of sharks and the ecosystem consequences of their removal

Advisor: Dr. Francesco Ferretti

bshea@vt.edu •  Website  •  Google Scholar • CV • Twitter 

Brendan Shea is a marine scientist and a PhD student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife  Conservation, working under the supervision of Dr. Francesco Ferretti. His research interests center around the ecology and conservation of elasmobranchs, in particular sharks. His PhD research  focuses on the conservation role and ecological impacts of marine protected areas (MPAs) for  populations of large sharks. 

Brendan holds a MS in Marine Biology from Northeastern University and a BA in Environmental Science from Colorado College. He completed his MS in December 2018, after conducting his thesis research with the ocean conservation NGO Beneath the Waves, using baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs) to examine how predation risk associated with large sharks such as white sharks may influence the behavior of other local fish species in the waters off of Cape Cod, MA. Since then, he has expanded his work to include acoustic and satellite telemetry, stress physiology, animal borne camera deployments, and more. 

Brendan continues to work extensively with Beneath the Waves and has led significant research efforts for the group in New England as well as in the Bahamas. In this role, he has been privileged  to have the opportunity to work closely with a range of stakeholders, including charter fishing  operators, landowners, regulatory agencies, local business owners, and concerned citizens. This  experience has demonstrated the importance of communication and collaboration across disciplines and stakeholder groups and continues to shape Brendan’s approach to his research and ultimate goal of shark conservation.