I am a marine ecologist who seeks solutions to a variety of conservation and management challenges by building better pipelines between innovations in ocean science and effective marine policy and management. I like using the power of interdisciplinary teams to tackle challenges that have resisted solutions in the past. I am currently working on a variety of issues related to sustainable fisheries management, effective spatial planning of ocean uses that optimizes returns while minimizing conflicts, the design of marine protected area networks, and responses of ocean ecosystems to climate change.

My graduate students have explored a wide range of issues in conservation biology, ecology, and biogeography. Many have explored ways to enhance the science of sustainable interactions between people and the ecosystems they are coupled to.

I am currently the Dean of the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, where we seek solutions to environmental challenges using novel graduate programs where students solve problems posed by outside clients by working in interdisciplinary teams.