Douglas McCauley

Douglas McCauley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). His research focuses on understanding the ecological impacts of human activities on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on large vertebrate species, community ecology, and conservation solutions. He holds a B.A. in Integrative Biology and Political Science from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Biology from Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station.

McCauley’s work integrates field studies, remote sensing, and big data to address global challenges such as overfishing, climate change, and biodiversity loss. His lab’s projects include studying shark populations via fossil records, hippopotamus-driven ecosystem dynamics in African savannas, and the ecological and economic value of giant sea bass. He has advised numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to environmental science.

Key achievements include pioneering studies on marine defaunation, quantifying the vulnerability of large and small vertebrates to extinction, and advocating for evidence-based ocean policies. McCauley has been honored as an Early Career Fellow by the Ecological Society of America and named ‘Human of the Year’ by Vice Media for his innovative use of technology in conservation. His research frequently informs global initiatives, such as the World Economic Forum’s Oceans Briefing and collaborations with organizations like the Benioff Ocean Initiative.

• Education: PhD, Stanford University (2011); B.A., UC Berkeley (2001)
• Awards: Sloan Research Fellowship (2015), Ecological Society of America Early Career Fellowship (2020)
• Labs/Teams: McCauley Lab, Benioff Ocean Initiative, Mpala Research Centre collaborations