Parks lab members - BABEL – Syracuse University

Faculty

Principal Investigator

Susan Parks is a leader in the field of animal bioacoustics and communication research. Her research examines how acoustic communication evolves and functions in animals, how the auditory system perceives biologically meaningful sound, and how anthropogenic noise disrupts these processes. As head of the Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab at Syracuse University, she leads a research group whose work spans species from insects to the largest whales. Dr. Parks holds a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, and brings a multidisciplinary approach that integrates behavioral ecology, sensory biology, and evolution. Much of her empirical work centers on large baleen whales, which are among the longest-lived mammals on Earth. Her studies have shed light on how animals communicate with sound, from the behavioral context of vocal signals to the individual identity encoded in whale calls. Her comparative research program uses marine mammals and other species to understand the fundamental principles of acoustic communication and how those principles are challenged by a changing acoustic environment. Through her leadership, the lab serves as a hub of collaboration, training the next generation of scientists and supporting discoveries that deepen our understanding of animal communication.

Research Assistant Professor

Dana Cusano is a bioacoustician and behavioral ecologist whose research focuses primarily on the acoustic behavior of marine mammals. Her interests include the use of vocal signaling in animals and the link between vocalizations and behavior. Specifically, she is interested in the social interactions between individuals and how arousal may be reflected in acoustic signals. Past research has also centered on investigating the movement of animals in response to anthropogenic disturbance with the use of animal movement models. Currently, Dana’s research involves studying the acoustic and movement behavior of sei whales, North Atlantic right whales, and humpback whales with the use of biologging tags.

Current Lab Members

**Valeria Perez**
Ph.D. Candidate
2021- present
vperez03@syr.edu

Valeria is a Ph.D. candidate and NDSEG Fellow interested in supporting animal conservation through research in animal behavior and physiology, particularly how they are impacted by anthropogenic disturbances. For her thesis, she is examining how humpback whales respond behaviorally to vessel disturbances based on their nutritional status. She is employing a combination of novel non-invasive methods, biologging tools, and unmanned aerial vehicles to collect data.

Dana Adcock Photo — **Dana Adcock**
Ph.D. Candidate
2022-present
dladcock@syr.edu

Dana is a Ph.D. candidate and NDSEG Fellow interested in the impacts of anthropogenic noise on baleen whale acoustics and behavior. Her research uses the development of offshore wind as a natural experiment to study North Atlantic fin whale behavioral ecology and the impacts of construction and boat noise.

**Sara Tennant**
Ph.D. Candidate
2023-present
sctennan@syr.edu

Sara is a Ph.D. candidate and joined BABEL in 2023 to explore the vocal behavior of right whales. During her time at Northeastern University and the NEFSC’s Passive Acoustic Group, she had focused on baleen whale acoustic monitoring and endangered species management. Through her research in the Parks lab, she’s hoping to dive deeper into the combination of behavioral ecology and and conservation science.

**Melanie Smith**
Ph.D. Candidate
2024-present
msmit196@syr.edu

Melanie joined the lab in 2024 as a Ph.D. student. She is currently a Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholar. She is interested in understanding how vessel noise impacts baleen whales. Her previous research at the University of New Hampshire focused on using behavioral and acoustic baselines to inform humpback whale management strategies in Southeast Alaska. Outside lab, Melanie loves long distance running and trying new restaurants.

**Maya Philipp**
Ph.D. Candidate
2024-present
mphili01@syr.edu

Maya joined the lab in 2024 as a Ph.D. student. Her past work at the University of California, San Diego looked at vocalization patterns of Markham’s Storm-Petrels in Chile. In the Parks lab, she plans to look at soundscape ecology and human impacts on wildlife.

Chris Cilfone Photo — **Chris Cilfone**
Ph.D. Student
2025-present
ccilfone@syr.edu

Chris joined the Lab as a Ph.D. student 2025 after a long hiatus from academia. A seasoned captain and polar expedition leader turned scientist, he is interested in how sound influences the behavioral ecology of the great whales.

Kurt Brubach Image — **Kurt Brubach**
Ph.D. Student
2026-present
krbrubac@syr.edu

Kurt joined the lab in 2026 as a Ph.D. student after graduating from Kent state university, where he conducted field research in Costa Rica, South Africa, and the United States. In the Parks Lab, he plans to study how anthropogenic and environmental change influence wildlife behavior and communication.

Arianna Torello Image — **Arianna Torello**
Research Analyst
2026-present
aptorell@syr.edu

Ari is a bioacoustician and conservation ecologist interested in using scientific research to inform the management and protection of endangered marine mammal species. She holds an M.Sc. in Ethology and Acoustics from the Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Étienne and an M.Sc. in Ocean Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Ari joined BABEL to provide comprehensive support to our diverse portfolio of projects, with an emphasis on our work with the passive acoustic monitoring of North Atlantic right whales in the New York/New Jersey Bight.

Lab Alumni

Alumni in the lab have gone on to a wide range of positions, including positions in academia, government, industry, medicine and non-profit endeavors. Where available, links are provided to their LinkedIn pages to follow their careers!