Rachel studies the behavior and ecology of marine mammals and how they relate to oceanographic processes. Rachel has a mixed academic background, having studied both chemical oceanography and ecology and evolutionary biology, and enjoys working at the interface of those two fields. Some of Rachel’s recent work includes: characterizing a major marine heatwave in the North Pacific and its effects on the reproduction and foraging ecology of the northern elephant seal; niche partitioning and foraging behavior of Weddell seals and penguins in the Ross Sea; and the movement and behavior of California sea lions in response to predators and human disturbance.​