Professor Dr. William Montevecchi

Biography

William Montevecchi is a Research Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland with extensive academic training, holding a B.A. from Northeastern University, an M.Sc. from Tulane University, and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University. His research focuses on cognitive behavioural ecology, emphasizing long-term interdisciplinary ecosystem research related to seabirds, marine food webs, and biological oceanography. Montevecchi works collaboratively with students, post-doctoral fellows, and research assistants in his lab to investigate how environmental factors influence animal behaviour and ecology. His studies explore multi-species interactions in dynamic Low Arctic Boreal ecosystems, using seabird responses as indicators of fish and ocean conditions. His research involves partnerships with oceanographers and fisheries scientists from Canada, the USA, Europe, Australia, and Africa. Current projects aim to minimize bycatch of seabirds in fishing gear, assess the causes of the decline of Leach’s Storm-Petrel, investigate dietary changes in seabirds due to shifting ocean prey availability, and analyze seabird behaviour in relation to offshore industrial risks. His work has garnered support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the World Wildlife Fund, and Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Research Interests