Supervisors:
Dr. Carissa Brown and Dr. Jack Lawson (DFO)

Committee:
Dr. Leonard Zedel
Dr. Rodolphe Devillers

Research Groups: Northern EDGE Lab

Education:

• MSc. in Geography, Memorial University – 2018                                                                      Thesis: “A framework to estimate the risk of noise exposure from vessels for endangered cetacean species.”
• MSc. In Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Parma, Italy – 2013                     Thesis project: “Monitoring cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary from platforms of opportunity: a methodological analysis”
• BSc. In Biology and Freshwater Ecology, , University of Parma, Italy – 2010

Publications:

• Cominelli, S., Leahy, M., Devillers, R., & Hall, G. (2019). Geovisualization tools to inform the management of vessel noise in support of species' conservation. Ocean and Coastal Management, 169, 113-128.
• Cominelli, S., Devillers, R., Yurk, H., Macgillivray, A., Mcwhinnie, L., & Canessa, R. (2018). Noise exposure from commercial shipping for the southern resident killer whale population. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 136, 177-200.
• Cominelli, S., Moulins, A., Rosso, M., & Tepsich, P.; 2016. Fin whale seasonal trends in the Pelagos Sanctuary, Mediterranean Sea. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 80(3): 490–499.
• Arcangeli A., Cominelli S., David L., Di-Meglio N., Moulins A., Mayol P.,Marini L., Rosso M., Tepsich P.; 2014. Seasonal Monitoring Of Cetaceans And Validation Of The REPCET System In Terms Of Monitoring. Sci. Rep. Port-Cros natl. Park, 28:37-48.

Posters:

• Cominelli S., Moulins A.; Rossi V., Rosso M. ,Tepsich P. A New Process For Developing An Effective Index To Assess Variability In Cetacean Presence. 28th Conference Of The European Ceatacean Society, 5th –9th April 2014, Liége, Belgium.
• Cominelli S., Moulins A., Rossi V., Arcangeli A., David L., Di-Meglio N., Tepsich P. Assessing The Consistency of Data Collected Using Ferries As Platforms Of Opportunity For Cetacean Monitoring Programs. 27th Conference Of The European Cetacean Society, 8th –10th April 2013, Setùbal, Portugal.

Presentations and workshops:

• Tepsich P., Cominelli S., Schettino I., Moulins A., Rosso M., Atzori M., Frau, F., 2019. Fin whale trends in the Mediterranean Sea from the FLT MED MonNet long-term monitoring program. World Marine Mammal Conference, 7th – 12th December 2019. International Convention Center of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
• McWhinnie L., Scuderi A., Cominelli S., Halliday W., Elliott M., 2018. Putting it all together: Understanding and managing the impacts of vessel traffic on marine mammals (workshop). University of Victoria, 23rd – 24th October, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Cominelli, S., 2018. Identifying management solutions for minimizing impacts of increasing vessel traffic on whales in the Canadian Arctic. Master Mariners of Canada Symposium - Sharing Our Waters: Maritime Commerce and Whales, 14th September 2018. Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.
• Cominelli, S., 2018. A time series analysis of vessel traffic in the Cabot Strait. Master Mariners of Canada Symposium - Sharing Our Waters: Maritime Commerce and Whales, 14th September 2018. Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.
• Cominelli S., Devillers, R., 2017. Cumulative Noise Exposure From Shipping For the Southern Resident Killer Whale Population. Society For Conservation GIS 20th Annual Conference, 15th-17th July 2017, Monterey, California, US.
• Cominelli S., Leahy, M., Luubert, M., Hall, B., Devillers, R., 2017. Geovisualization of shipping noise exposure for whales in Canada. Esri User Conference, 10th-14th July 2017, San Diego, California, US.

Research interests:

• Marine mammal conservation
• Anthropogenic noise
• Soundscape ecology