Biography
Dan recently joined the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative as a program officer. He comes to the foundation as an experienced scientist and program manager, with a career spanning academic research, federal science funding and nonprofit conservation. His work focuses on advancing interdisciplinary science in marine ecology, symbiosis and global change biology, with an emphasis on building inclusive research communities and enabling transformative discovery.
Most recently, Dan served as a program director at the U.S. National Science Foundation, where he spent 11 years developing and managing research portfolios across ocean sciences, ecology, evolution, and use-inspired, cross-disciplinary research. He held multiple leadership positions, including team lead for the Biological Oceanography Program, chair of the Long-Term Ecological Research Program, and acting deputy division director for both the Division of Ocean Sciences and the Division of Research, Innovation, Synergies, and Education. In these roles, he guided strategic program development, oversaw research budgets and supported interdisciplinary research teams.
Dan’s scientific background is rooted in marine symbiosis, evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. He has authored more than 45 peer-reviewed publications on topics including coral–algal mutualisms, host–microbe coevolution, chemosynthetic symbioses, and the ecological impacts of climate change. Earlier in his career, he held academic positions at Bowdoin College and the University of Georgia and worked as a conservation scientist at Defenders of Wildlife, where he led science-based campaigns addressing biodiversity protection, wildlife trade and conservation policy.
Dan earned a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Georgia and a B.S. in zoology and environmental biology from Michigan State University.
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