Science Protecting Nature
The Ocean Mammal Institute (OMI) was established as a non-profit organization in 2014 and is dedicated to protecting marine mammals, and awakening people’s minds and hearts to nature’s interconnected harmony.
Humpback whale tail with icy mountains backdrop Alaska 
KILLER WHALE orcinus orca, PAIR LEAPING, CANADA
Dr. Marsha Green, President and Founder
Marsha Green, Ph.D. is OMI’s President and founder. Dr. Green holds a doctorate from Temple University in animal behavior and physiological psychology. She is a licensed psychologist and Professor at Albright College in Reading Pennsylvania. Here she served as Chair of the Psychology Department until 1993 and founded the Psychobiology and Environmental Psychobiology programs.
Since 1986, Dr. Green has been conducting research on the impact of human behavior on humpback whales and spinner dolphins in Hawaii. She has gained international recognition for her groundbreaking studies linking human compassion with scientific field research to benefit whales, dolphins, and their environment.
Dr. Green is a woman who believes words can educate but its actions that create a change. She has taken specific actions that have been instrumental in changing laws and conditions for marine mammals.
Marsha Green fell in love with whales on a vacation in Hawaii. Her love for these gentle giants sent her into battle against High-Intensity Active Sonar testing which can induce a range of adverse effects in marine mammals. These effects include death and serious injury caused by brain hemorrhages or other tissue trauma; strandings; temporary and permanent hearing loss or impairment; displacement from preferred habitat and disruption of feeding, breeding, nursing, communication, sensing, and other behaviors vital to the survival of these species.
Read Marsha’s Message about our Healing Relationship with Nature.
Objectives
Our objectives are to change people’s awareness, help them feel their connection to the natural world, and to protect ocean mammals.
- To study the impact of human marine activities including underwater noise pollution on whales and dolphins.
- Apply the results of our research to protecting marine mammals and their environment.
- Allow people to participate fully in our research to educate them about important conservation issues and empower them to act responsibly.