This is a world full of sounds,
Voices modulating under the sea...
What could they tell us?
We are going to listen...

And Joe Olson continues to enhance tools to allow us accessing these sounds...

The discussion about the interaction between the human and the other species is crucial in a time that we should not only shape the future, but also guaranties its arrival. Currently, biology has been having great advances in a lot of areas, mainly in molecular biology and neurobiology, although ecology still shows us how to percept the knowledge in a not compartmentalize way. Ethology is the door that links these two worlds; it's a contemporary and promising science about what we cannot be apart from. The work and commitment of Joe Olson allow the ecological and behavioral research of the cetaceans through the use of specific and innovative acoustic apparatus, which contributes and improves to the current knowledge of the animals and their habitats. Beyond this, Joe shows dedication and care when he interacts with his customers, clearly demonstrating his passion and concern about the marine mammals and the environmental management. My work on the bottlenose dolphins in Brazil has only been possible due to the enthusiastic assistance of this esteemed professional!

In an island in the middle of Atlantic Ocean, we have 4.000 meters of water beneath us, 3 days of travel to the nearest place, a little team of researches and a few fishermen to support us. And we think we are in the middle of a desert, far from all. but at adjusting the hydrophone under the water, we find out we are in fact in a world full of sounds. We could hear for the first time the dolphin group that lives there, the mother-calf calls, the never-ending sequences of whistles, barks, buzzes and clicks. The fishermen could hear. The other researchers could hear. The Cetacean Research's equipment allows us to get in this noisy and rich world of the dolphins.

How good it would be if we had such a professional near from us! I found him in my master degree and there is no way I would change my preference. In the name of our research group that works with multiple aspects of the biology of the bottlenose dolphins in Brazil, I can say we are very lucky of having Joe Olson almost how a personal instructor of acoustic! He teaches me a lot of things and his patience is unlimited.

I remember the first time I put a hydrophone under the water.a home-made hydrophone.was fascinating.and then this magic world of marine voices caught me definitely. Still now, sometimes I lose my self hearing the myriad of dolphin's sounds, and I am grateful to Joe for each moment I could hear and record them!

Lilian Sander Hoffmann, PhD
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul