Christopher Freeman

Christopher Freeman is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at the College of Charleston and a research scientist at Hollings Marine Laboratory. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, an M.S. from Georgia Southern University, and a B.A. from Connecticut College. His academic appointments include being a Research Adjunct Faculty in the Graduate Program in Marine Biology at the College of Charleston and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution.

Dr. Freeman's research focuses on marine invertebrate ecology with particular emphasis on:

• Coral reef ecology and biodiversity
• Symbiotic relationships between marine organisms and their microbial communities
• Sponge ecology and the role of sponges in coral reef ecosystems
• Community ecology of marine environments
• Estuarine suspension feeders and their role in nutrient cycling

His laboratory work employs experimental, chemical, isotopic, and molecular methods to investigate how microbial symbionts influence host organisms' ecological roles and resource utilization. A significant portion of his research examines how associations with specific microbial symbionts allow coexisting organisms to access unique resources on reefs, potentially reducing competition and supporting biodiversity.

Dr. Freeman has made notable contributions to understanding filter feeder communities in nutrient and organic matter cycling in estuaries, particularly regarding harmful algal blooms within the Indian River Lagoon of central Florida. His work demonstrates the role of bivalves, barnacles, and other filter feeders in top-down control of algal blooms.

His scientific awards include recognition as an Honors Faculty Fellow at the College of Charleston.

Dr. Freeman teaches several biology courses including Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology (BIOL 111), Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation Biology (BIOL 211), Marine Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation Biology (BIOL 213), General Ecology (BIOL 341), and Conservation Biology (BIOL 406).

He maintains an active research laboratory focusing on marine invertebrate ecology, with field sites including coral reefs in the Caribbean, the Miskito Cays of Honduras, Myanmar, French Polynesia, Panama, and Hong Kong. His lab, sometimes referred to as the SWIMS lab, conducts research on sponge ecology, coral reef community dynamics, and the impacts of environmental stressors on marine ecosystems.