Canadian marine biologist Shane Gero is the Biology Lead for Project CETI, (Cetacean Translation Initiative ) an interdisciplinary A‑team of badass scientists: marine robotics specialists, cetacean biologists, AI wizards, linguistics and cryptography experts and data specialists.* Their project–a 2020 TED initiative applying advanced machine learning and state-of-the-art robotics–aims to decode the communication of whales.

The founder and lead scientist of the Dominica Sperm Whale Project (DSWP), Gero has spent nearly two decades following and studying a clan of some 40 families of sperm whales in the Eastern Caribbean, research that was key to the Emmy-winning documentary The  Secrets of Whales.

On November 2 Shane will share stories from thousands of hours spent in the company of sperm whales in the pursuit of answering what is it like to grow up in a whale family? What might whales say to one another when they talk? And what  is lost when we lose a whale culture?

As noted on his website, Gero frequently speaks about his science, whale stories, and conservation of our oceans, at museums and universities around the world; and recently on the National Geographic and TEDx stages.

We are fortunate to have him share his findings with our club.

*The Guardian