I am a member of the faculty in the Environmental Studies specialty area. My area of expertise is in the marine sciences with a focus on oceanography. I am particularly interested in studying the role of phytoplankton and bacteria in aquatic systems. I have performed research in various marine and freshwater environments including Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, Antarctica and the Amazon River. Currently, I am conducting research projects in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia to study the seasonal species succession of phytoplankton including species associated with hamrful algal blooms (HAB) and to assess the role of bacteria in trophic dynamics.
The academic programs I teach study the physics, chemistry, geology and biology of marine systems. I examine a wide range of topics in oceanography and marine biology such as: ocean circulation, properties of seawater, adaptations of marine organisms, structure of marine communities, the ecology of harmful algal blooms and the contribution of the marine carbon cycle to global climate change. Human impacts on the marine environment (fisheries, pollution, etc.) are also considered. These topics are examined on a global scale and in local environments (e.g. Puget Sound and the coast of the Olympic Peninsula). In addition to these programs I also teach in inter disciplinary offerings combining science and art (e.g. Drawing from the Sea) and science and policy (environmental studies at undergraduate and graduate levels).
To learn more about my research and the programs that I am teaching click on the appropriate tabs above. During the academic years 2009-2011 I will be teaching in the Master’s of Environmental Studies program.