Biology Alumnus recently appointed as California Sea Grant and Cal Poly Aquaculture Specialist
Dr. Kevin Johnson was recently appointed as the new California Sea Grant and Cal Poly Aquaculture Specialist and Research Scientist.
Kevin graduated from CSUMB in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in Biology. While at CSUMB, Kevin became a UROC and CSU Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholar. As an undergraduate, he also received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue his doctoral degree at UC Santa Barbara in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology.
For his doctoral thesis, Kevin conducted research in Antarctica investigating the effects of acidification and ocean warming on pteropods, a free floating marine snail. Upon completing his Ph.D. degree, Kevin received a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to work at Louisiana State University on the molecular mechanisms of adaptation in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) to environmental stressors.
Kevin joins California Sea Grant’s team of specialists who work with coastal communities, businesses, and policymakers to provide science-based information in an effort to support the state’s environment and economy. As an aquaculture specialist, Kevin will conduct research and outreach on aquaculture communities in central California. In addition to this role, he will also serve as a research scientist at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; where he will teach courses, mentor students, and collaborate on research initiatives with Cal Poly faculty and aquaculture practitioners throughout the central California region.
Congratulations Kevin on this incredible accomplishment! For more details, check out Dr. Kevin Johnson's highlight article on the California Sea Grant web page.