BRENDAN J.

HURLEY
2256 Arlington Terrace, Alexandria VA, 22303 (703) 568-5652 bhurley6ehs@gmail.com

Profile

Highly organized and resourceful professional with in-depth knowledge in environmental management as well
as practical skills in conservation of natural resources, protection of habitats, and identification of hazards
Excellent research and analytical, critical thinking and forecasting skills proven at practice through efficient
accomplishment of assigned tasks that contributed to successful realization of projects and programs
Flexible and energetic person with strong sense of responsibility, excellent communication and presentation
skills and ability to grow positive relationships with people as well as work efficiently in a team
Demonstrated proficiency in documents management and compilation, reports summary, and analysis as well as
electronic database research and use of Microsoft Office products

Education
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
expected May 2017
Earth Systems and Geoinformation Sciences George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
May 2007
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences Duke University, Durham, NC
Concentration: Coastal Environmental Management
CERTIFICATE IN GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS Duke University, Durham, NC
May 2007
Masters Project: Assessment of spatial overlap of fixed fishing gear and right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in the
Gulf of Maine.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
August 2001
Wildlife Science Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA

Professional Experience
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST
August 2014 March 2016
National Marine Fisheries Service and Ocean Associates, Inc., Silver Spring, MD
Conducted the initial review and processing through to completion of permit applications for scientific research on
protected species including cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sea turtles.
GIS ANALYST
June 2014
Independent contract, academic advice to colleagues
Analyzed AIS data as part of a marine spatial planning assessment of marine shipping schemes in the Atlantic and
Gulf of Mexico, including analysis of over 300 million data points.
GIS ANALYST
May 2014
Independent contract, academic advice to colleagues
Conducted Kernel Density estimation and point density analysis of AIS point data in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas
as part of a preliminary analysis of traffic patterns in the Arctic Ocean.
FELLOW
September December 2013
United States House of Representatives, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Washington, DC
Acted as a representative for Congresswoman Wilsons office in committee meetings, including the Science, Space,
and Technology Committee and the America COMPETES working group; wrote talking points for constituent
meetings; co-wrote bill proposals for the Perkins Act re-authorization; prepared proposals for the America
COMPETES act; met with interest groups concerning harmful algal blooms and photovoltaic technologies.

GIS ANALYST
March 2012 February 2015
National Marine Fisheries Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service
Co-author and lead GIS analyst on the Survey of Arctic Resources (SOAR) project, the first comprehensive
examination of concentrations of multiple sea bird and marine mammal species in the US high Arctic; Prepared
illustrations, charts, diagrams, maps, slides, and other kinds of visual material for use in communicating.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT FIELD TECHNICIAN
January August 2011
National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI
Duty station: French Frigate Shoals, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
Conducted Hawaiian Monk seal population censuses by vessel and beach survey in the remote northwestern
Hawaiian Archipelago; handled seals for purposes of tagging and tissue sampling.
AERIAL SURVEY TEAM MEMBER FIELD TECHNICIAN
June 2010 October 2011
National Marine Fisheries Service, National Marine Mammal Lab, Seattle, WA
Duty station: Barrow and Deadhorse, Alaska
Performed marine mammal aerial distribution and abundance surveys for the Chukchi Offshore Monitoring In
Drilling Area (COMIDA) and the Bowhead Whale Aerial Survey Project (BWASP); assisted in data processing,
assurance, and control; maintained archive of arctic weather patterns for use within the COMIDA and BWASP
projects.
INDEPENDENT OBSERVER
July 2010
Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, SUI
Duty station: Sakhalin Island, Russian Federation
Reviewed visual and acoustic data acquisition for compliance with IUCN regulations in conjunction with seismic
operations; evaluated effectiveness of the monitoring and mitigation plan under which said operations took place off
the coast of Northeast Sakhalin Island.
GIS ANALYST
June 2009 June 2010
Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, Arlington, VA
Principal co-architect of a hierarchical, multiple scale georeferenced management unit tool for global sea turtle
conservation priority setting; synthesized raster and vector data including MODIS remotely sensed data, mtDNA,
nDNA, telemetry, and tagging data sets for planned species density and diversity analysis. Working with geospatial
experts to incorporate results of spatial analysis into publication quality materials; prepared meetings, briefings,
conferences, and outreach activities that involved the need for visual materials.
STAFF RESEARCH ASSISTANT
September 2007 June 2009
Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, New York, NY
Performed visual observation and passive acoustic monitoring for marine mammals and sea turtles during seismic
operations aboard R/V Marcus G Langseth; compiled databases of marine mammal sightings for synthesis within
ArcGIS platforms.
SOFTWARE BETA TESTER
May 2007
Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
Reviewed and commented on Darwin dolphin photo-identification software system involving software intuitiveness,
functionality, and customization.
AERIAL SURVEY TEAM MEMBER FIELD TECHNICIAN
May 2004 August 2005
National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole, MA
Oversaw the upgrade to ArcGIS 9.0 from ArcView 3.2 for right whale Sighting Advisory System (SAS); authored
two GIS manuals detailing new ArcMap procedures for the SAS system; performed lead observer duties during the
right whale SAS flights throughout February and March of 2005, including flight planning, in-flight decisions
regarding weather, and flight team management; assisted in at-sea observation for hump back whales aboard the
NOAA ship R/V Delaware II; lead crossbow biopsy technician for Western North Atlantic pilot whale stock
assessment study.

OCEAN CONSERVATION INTERN

January May 2004
SeaWeb, Washington, DC
Prepared reports regarding consumer based seafood choices campaigns (SeaWebs Seafood Choices Alliance);
fielded media inquiries regarding SeaWebs stand on a proposed ban on imported caviar (SeaWebs Caviar Emptor);
compiled low cost educational documents to aid indigenous peoples in Papua New Guinea.
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION INTERN
April October 2003
Marine Science Consortium, Wallops Island, VA
Primary small boat operator on transect survey lines off of Wallops and Chincoteague Islands; compiled and
organized a database of bottlenose dolphin dorsal fins with use of Finscan for photo-identification.
MARINE MAMMAL COLLECTION INTERN
January April 2003
Smithsonian Institution, Division of Mammals, Washington, DC
Numbered individual marine mammal osteological specimens for archival installation; flensed new specimens for
internment in Dermestid beetle colony; gained proficiency at identification of marine mammal osteological
specimens.
SARASOTA DOLPHIN RESEARCH PROJECT INTERN
September December 2002
Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL
Participated in capture of wild dolphins in Sarasota Bay; assisted with field photography and photo-identification of
dolphins in Sarasota Bay and lower Tampa Bay; supported cataloging and filing of scientific papers.
MOTE MARINE LABORATORY SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH INTERN
March Sept. 2002
Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL
Patrolled beaches in Sarasota County recording nesting locations and occurrences of depredation of turtle eggs;
assisted in hatchling removal and release; supported sea turtle necropsies involving full data collection and analysis.

Publications & Presentations, citations: 353

Seasonal Spatial Patterns in Seabird and Marine Mammal Distribution in the Pacific Arctic: Identifying Biologically
Important Pelagic Areas, Progress in Oceanography,
2015
Kathy Kuletz, Megan C. Ferguson, Brendan Hurley, Adrian E. Gall, Elizabeth A. Labunski, Tawna C. Morgan
A 10-Year Projection of Maritime Activity In The U.S. Arctic Region, Committee On The Marine Transportation
System, Report to the White House,
2015
Azzara, A., Wang, H., Rutherford, D., Hurley, B., Stephenson, S.
A petition to list the Gulf of Mexico Brydes whale (Balaenoptera edeni) as endangered under the Endangered
Species Act, Natural Resource Defense Council,
2014
Michael Jasny, Sylvia Fallon, Giulia Good Stefani, Brendan Hurley, Andrew J. Wright
Hurricane impacts on the foraging patterns of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Mississippi Sound,
Marine Ecology Progress Series,
2013
Courtney E. Smith, Brendan J. Hurley, Christina N. Toms, Angela D. Mackey, Moby Solangi, Stan A. Kuczaj
II
Global Conservation Priorities for Marine Turtles, PLoS One,
2011
Wallace, B. P., A. D. DiMatteo, A. B. Bolten, M. Y. Chaloupka, B. J. Hutchinson, F. A. Abreu-Grobois, J. A.
Mortimer, J. A. Seminoff, D. Amorocho, K. A. Bjorndal, J. Bourjea, B. W. Bowen, R. Briseo-Dueas, P.
Casale, B. C. Choudhury, A. Costa, P. H. Dutton, A. Fallabrino, E. M. Finkbeiner, A. Girard, M. Girondot, M.
Hamann, B. J. Hurley, M. Lopez-Mendilaharsu, M. A. Marcovaldi, J. A. Musick, R. Nel, N. J. Pilcher, S.
Trong, B. Witherington and R. B. Mast
Regional Management Units for Marine Turtles: A Novel Framework for Prioritizing Conservation and Research
across Multiple Scales, PLoS One,
2010
Wallace B.P., A. D. DiMatteo, B. J. Hurley, E. M. Finkbeiner, A. B. Bolten, M. Y. Chaloupka, B. J. Hutchinson,
F. A. Abreu-Grobois, D. Amorocho, K. A. Bjorndal, J. Bourjea, B. W. Bowen, R. Briseno-Duenas, P. Casale,
B. C. Choudhury, A. Costa, P. H. Dutton, A. Fallabrino, A. Girard, M. Girondot, M. H. Godfrey, M. Hamann,
M. Lopez-Mendilaharsu, M. A. Marcovaldi, J. A. Mortimer, J. A. Musick, R. Nel, J. A. Seminoff, S. Troeng, B.
Witherington, and R. B. Mast

Astokh Lease Area 4-D Seismic Survey Independent Observer Report: Piltun Lagoon Region, Sakhalin Island,
Russian Federation. IUCN,
2010
Hurley, B.
19th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Tampa. FL
2011
Oral presentation: Potential Impacts of a Major Hurricane on Distribution and Foraging of Bottlenose Dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus) in Mississippi Sound.
Poster presentation: Visual-Acoustic Survey of Cetaceans during a Seismic Study near Taiwan, AprilJuly 2009.
18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City. Quebec, CA
2009
Poster presentation: Cetacean Sightings during a Seismic Study in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, AprilAugust 2008.
Poster presentation: Occurrence of Cetaceans during a Seismic Survey off the Pacific Coast of Central America,
March-April 2008.
Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium, Beaufort, NC
2007
Poster presentation of Masters Project: Assessment of Spatial Overlap of Fixed Fishing Gear and Right Whales
(Eubalaena glacialis) in the Gulf of Maine.

Certifications
Crucial Conversations Vital Smarts, Silver Spring, MD
2015
Certification in best practice skills for successfully handling high-stakes interactions. The training experience
equips participants with a set of tools and an action plan for building alignment, agreement, and interpersonal
communication.
Emergency Aircraft Egress Training Survival Systems USA, Inc., Groton, CT
2010
Sea Survival Course Survival Systems USA, Inc., Groton, CT
Motorboat Operator Certification Course US Department of Interior, Honolulu, HI
2011
Open Water Operations Certification National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI

2011
NOAA Component, Small Boat Operations National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI
2011
Wilderness First Aid Certification National Outdoor Leadership School, Honolulu, HI
2011
Hypodermic and I.V. certified.

Honors & Awards

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition United States House Of Representatives
Given in recognition of Outstanding and invaluable service to the community of Miami, Florida.

2013

Stanback internship Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA

2006
Competitive research internship program; prepared NMFS Sighting Advisory System database for spatial analysis
of fixed fishing gear sighting encounter rates with right whale encounter rates.
Nicholas school first year graduate student of the year Duke University
2006
Given to one student a year in recognition of outstanding contributions and leadership within the Nicholas school.
Eagle Scout, Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America, Troop 146, Chantilly, VA
1997
Lead organizer of trail restoration project; selected as Order of the Arrow in recognition of distinguished integrity
and leadership in furthering the ideals of Scouting.

Professional Affiliations & Activities

The Society for Conservation GIS

2009-Present

The Society for Conservation GIS (SCGIS) assists conservationists worldwide in using GIS through
communication, networking, scholarships, and training.
The Society for Conservation Biology
2009-Present
The Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) is an international professional organization dedicated to promoting
the scientific study of the phenomena that affect the maintenance, loss, and restoration of biological diversity.

The Society for Marine Mammalogy

2003-Present
Society founded to evaluate and promote the educational, scientific, and managerial advancement of marine
mammal science; provides scientific information, as required, on matters related to the conservation and
management of marine mammal resources.
The Coastal Society Duke University Chapter, Durham, NC
2005-2007
1st year graduate student representative 2005-2006; Chapter President 2006-2007.
Planned, organized, and executed 6th annual Neuse River Sprint Triathlon involving approximately 70 participants;
organized logistics for The Coastal Society for 25th annual North Carolina Seafood Festival.
The Wildlife Society Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Treasurer

1998-1999