MBARI's diverse staff brings a wide range of expertise in oceanography and engineering to its many research projects. A core group of engineers and scientists set the direction for MBARI's research initiatives. These principal investigators also serve as mentors to postdoctoral research fellows and research specialists. In addition, MBARI invites a select number of adjunct researchers to propose and lead projects.
Jim Barry, Benthic Ecologist
Benthic (seafloor) ecology, both temperate and polar, deep-sea communities
James Bellingham,
Chief Technologist
Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technology, ocean observatories,
oceanographic sampling strategies
Peter Brewer, Ocean Chemist
Geochemistry, hydrates, marine and aquatic chemistry, global carbon-dioxide,
biogeochemical cycles, environmental science
Francisco Chavez, Biological
Oceanographer
Biological oceanography, primary productivity, El Niņo, effects of climate variability on
ocean productivity, seasonal and interannual variability in the California Current System,
harmful algal blooms
David Clague, Geologist
Volcanology, volcanic hazards, submarine volcanism, and hydrothermal systems
Gary Greene,
Geologist
Submarine canyons, convergent tectonics, marine benthic habitats
Steve Haddock,
Marine Biologist
Bioluminescence (molecular to oceanographic scales) and gelatinous
zooplankton of the deep-sea and open ocean
Ken Johnson, Chemist
Chemistry, nutrient sensors, role of iron and other micronutrients in oceanic primary
production
Judith Kildow, Social Scientist/Policy Analyst
Track changes in human uses of the coast and coastal ocean, value the coast and coastal oceans and estimate their contribution
to the economy, ocean policy analyses, coastal vulnerability and resiliency
Zbigniew Kolber, Engineer
Marcia McNutt,
Geophysicist, MBARI President & CEO
Marine geophysics, hotspots and their influence on mantle geodynamics,
tectonics of continental collisions and rifting, interpretation of
gravity, seismic reflection, and heat flow data
Charles Paull, Geologist
Fluxes of fluids and gases through continental margins, gas hydrates
Kanna Rajan, Principal Researcher in Autonomy
Autonomy, autonomous systems and automated reasoning
Bruce Robison, Midwater Ecologist
Midwater ecology, undersea technology, deep-water biology, biology and ecology of Monterey
Canyon, oceanic biodiversity, oceanographic research vessels
John Ryan, Oceanographer
Links between circulation
and biology in open ocean and ocean margin environments, frontal processes,
synoptic sampling
Chris Scholin, Molecular
Biologist
Molecular probes, harmful algal blooms, toxic algae
Ken Smith, Marine Ecologist
Deep-sea community ecology, climate change and the deep-ocean carbon cycle, ecology of Antarctic ecosystems, deep-ocean technology
Robert Vrijenhoek,
Evolutionary Biologist
Evolutionary genetics, marine biology, conservation; research studies focused on the
ecological and evolutionary consequences of genetic diversity in animals
Alexandra Worden,
Molecular Microbial Ecologist
Carbon cycling, trophic interactions, genomic, metagenomics and transcriptomic approaches to microbial oceanography