Dr. Tim Markowitz oversees research projects examining humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, and harbor porpoises in San Francisco Bay and the surrounding waters. His research has expanded understanding of harbor porpoise reproductive and foraging behavior, northward range expansion of coastal bottlenose dolphins, and humpback whale abundance, movements, and habitat use. Since joining the Center in 2019, he has expanded his research efforts to include gray whales and focus on conservation issues for whales, dolphins, and porpoises, including vessel interactions, fisheries bycatch, and climate change. Previously, Tim served as the Research Director for Golden Gate Cetacean Research. He has also taught classes and mentored graduate students in biology and environmental sciences at various universities and continues to hold a part-time position at U.C. Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Tim received his B.A. from U.C. Santa Cruz in environmental studies, his M.S. from U.C. Davis in animal science, and his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in wildlife and fisheries sciences. As a student, Tim studied the development of sleep apnea in elephant seal pups, nocturnal behavior of African elephants, social development of sheep, and the social organization of dusky dolphins. Subsequently, Tim worked as a research biologist collecting biopsy and photo-identification samples of killer whales and humpback whales in Alaska. He went on to serve as principal investigator or project manager for marine mammal research projects, including studies of abundance and habitat use of endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales; effects of tourism on dusky dolphins, sperm whales, and New Zealand fur seals; and the distribution, movements, and ecology of bottlenose dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds [citation].