Meet Justin

I started out as a dolphin researcher doing serious academic work on animal cognition. Then somewhere along the way I became an improv performer. And a punk rock frontman. And somehow all of that led to writing a bestselling book comparing Nietzsche to a narwhal.

Here's what happened: I realized that the best science writing isn't just accurate—it's unforgettable. And the way you make it unforgettable is by making people laugh while they're learning something genuinely surprising about the human condition.

I'm the author of the bestseller If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal: What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity and Humanish (Little, Brown, 2025), an entertaining exploration of why humans can't help but anthropomorphize—and how embracing this quirky tendency can actually make us better leaders, marketers, and humans.

I'm a dolphin cognition researcher with the Dolphin Communication Project and an adjunct professor at St. Francis Xavier University, where I lecture on animal cognition. I hold a PhD in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, specializing in dolphin social cognition, and my academic work has been published by Oxford University Press (Are Dolphins Really Smart?) and in peer-reviewed journals.

As a science writer, my articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, Slate, Salon, Aeon Magazine, BBC Focus, and my blog with Psychology Today. I've appeared on CBS Mornings, ABC Prime Live, CBC Ideas, Ologies with Alie Ward, ReThinking with Adam Grant, and The Daily Stoic with Ryan Holiday—basically anywhere people want to talk about why humans are beautifully, tragically weird.

What I Do

That unusual background—dolphin researcher, improv performer, musician, science communicator—means I bring something different to every keynote, workshop, and event I speak at. I use humor, storytelling, and unexpected comparisons to animal cognition to make complex ideas about human behavior actually stick.

My talks aren't your typical conference fare. They're interactive, multimedia experiences that blend rigorous science with the energy of a live show. I've spoken everywhere from The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts to corporate offsites, and whether I'm presenting to 500 people or 50, my goal is the same: make them laugh, make them think, and give them something they'll actually remember months later.

Current talks include:

• Humanish Wisdom: How Anthropomorphism Shapes Our Behavior

• The Future of (Human) Intelligence

• Don’t Think, Do: How Improv Transforms Teams and Unlocks Creativity

• Humanish Live: The Science Comedy Show That Will Change How You See the World

Drawing from my experience as an improv teacher, voice actor, and stage performer, I can read a room, adapt on the fly, and connect with wildly different audiences. I don't always bring the punk rock vibe to every event (unless you want me to!), but I do always bring the energy, humor, and quick thinking that are the backbone of my performance style.

Beyond the Stage

I also produce and host multiple podcasts, including The Dolphin Pod , Why Are People Watching This?, and Let’s Talk Antigonish. I've voiced characters in animated films, produced radio plays, and released three albums with the ECMA and Music Nova Scotia award-nominated children's group Bingly and the Rogues. I also front a Nova Scotia-based punk rock band called Minivans and teach improv workshops that help organizations and communities unlock creativity, collaboration, and resilience.

Whether on stage, on the page, or in front of a microphone, I help audiences rethink what it means to be human through the unexpected lens of animals, AI, and the weird but wonderful world of creativity.

Want to Work Together?

If you're looking for a speaker who'll give your audience an experience they'll actually talk about—not just another forgettable presentation—let's chat about how I can customize something that fits your event's goals.

I'm represented by Lisa DiMona at Writers House