Dr. Jim Barry is recognized for his research, with a Sea Star Award from the Monterey Chapter of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Dr. Jim Barry is the Research Chair and a Senior Scientist at MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute). His research group uses lab facilities and deep-sea field research to study the biology and ecology of marine benthic communities, and he is an internationally recognized expert on the ecological impacts of ocean acidification and global climate change. Jim makes a point of sharing his research with the public and decision-makers, as exemplified by his recent presentation at Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2020.
Dr. Barry’s contributions to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary are so extensive that he is considered a valuable team member on the MBNMS staff. Jim has worked in close collaboration with MBNMS staff on: characterizing and protecting Davidson Seamount; finding and assessing the impacts of the only studied lost shipping container in the deep ocean; discovering the coral oasis at Sur Ridge; designating Sur Ridge a Sanctuary Ecologically Significant Area; developing methods for deep-sea coral restoration; and unlocking mysteries of the recently discovered deep-sea octopus brooding area at Davidson Seamount. He continues to develop innovative research techniques with valuable management applications like using environmental DNA to assess what lives in specific areas of the ocean, and on-station deep-sea camera systems to visually document previously unknown sea creature behavior around ancient, deep-sea corals.
We are indeed fortunate to have such an accomplished marine scientist, willing to educate others and do societally relevant research, as a close collaborator of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, to help protect the ocean for future generations!