Robert J. Dellinger

about rob

I graduated from the University of California, Davis, in June 2021, while there, I completed my B.A. in International Relations and B.S. in Marine and Coastal Science. My academic career throughout undergraduate learning, has afforded me the ability to spend time as a marine scientist, researcher, campus ambassador, and community organizer. As a researcher, I have spent time conducting research on campus, at a marine laboratory, at a federal agency, and internationally. I have also gained experience within the realm of environment regulation and policy as an environmental technician and as an intern at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Currently, I am a student in the Quantitative Marine Ecology Lab, which focuses on research regarding quantitative ecology, coastal marine ecosystems, and global change biology to better elucidate and assess the impacts of climate change stressors. Our lab conducts research on an array of coastal marine ecosystems, including but not limited to, coral reefs, kelp forests, and the rocky intertidal. As a graduate student, I plan to further my knowledge of methodological approaches to marine ecology and conservation as well as work collaboratively to fuel transdisciplinary science.

Through my previous professional experiences, I have been able to expand my skill set in scientific research and environmental regulation at both the state & federal levels. As an intern at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, I was given the opportunity to conduct research in a science-based federal agency and contribute to a Natural Resource Damage Assessment. While at NOAA, I worked under the mentorship of Chris Chambers, Tom Noji, and Ann Petersen to assess the impacts of industrial contaminants on white perch—a common fish and key member of estuarine ecosystems along the U.S. East Coast. Our research used histopathological methods to identify and quantify changes within fish samples between a contaminated site (superfund site) and an undisturbed site (protected estuary). Once complete with analysis, our research identified histological changes in tissue samples that are consistent with injury and disease from fish within the contaminated river. The region and findings of our assessment are of particular importance to environmental justice as adjacent neighborhoods composed predominantly of people of color have had to deal with the contamination of negligent industries.