My research interests encompass several broad concepts, from individual behaviour to social structure, to population dynamics and applied ecology.  Broad interests require extensive knowledge, which requires a multi-discipline collaboration with a number of colleagues in relevant fields, including geneticists, eco-physiologists, GIS specialists, computer programmers and computation ecologists.  I enjoy working within a team environment and see collaborative efforts as a vehicle of achievements in today's science.  

My work has focused on understanding the mechanism underlying animal behaviour and how environmental variability, both natural and anthropogenic, and intrinsic factors influence population processes, aggregation patterns and sociality.  My emphasis is on the ecology of group living.  Using information on individually recognisable animals along with data on habitat use, movement, ecology, behaviour and genetics, I explore social organization of my target species from a broader comparative ecology perspective.  I believe such an approach can help unravel some of the underlying structure and basic ecological and evolutionary processes that shape mammalian social systems.

From an applied ecology perspective, such an approach provides a means for understanding how environmental pressures, either natural or human-induced, influence the daily lives of free-ranging animals.  Several of my past and present research projects address questions related to conservation and management of coastal and semi-pelagic dolphins, contributing to issues such as the principles of the design and management of marine protected areas, designation of conservation and management units, anthropogenic impacts, and viability assessments.