Jason Graff

Jason Graff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University within the College of Agricultural Sciences. His research focuses on phytoplankton ecology and physiology, bacteria-phytoplankton interactions, and marine carbon cycle dynamics using bio-optical relationships and satellite remote sensing.

• Ph.D. in Oceanography, University of Rhode Island (2010)
• B.S. in Advertising, University of Illinois
• B.S. in Oceanography, University of Washington

His work bridges cellular-scale phytoplankton processes with global oceanographic modeling, particularly through NASA missions like EXPORTS and PACE. He investigates phytoplankton photophysiology, carbon export pathways, and microbial interactions in marine environments.

Recent publications highlight advances in global carbon estimation, bio-optical algorithms, and phytoplankton community dynamics. Key themes include climate change impacts on marine ecosystems, satellite validation protocols, and microbial respiration variability across ocean provinces.

• National Oceanographic Partnership Program's Excellence in Partnering Award (2024)
• Editor’s Citation for Excellence in Refereeing, AGU (2024)
• NASA Group Achievement Award (2022, 2019)
• ASLO Early Career Travel Award (2013)
• NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship (2008)

Graff's lab collaborates extensively on NASA-funded projects like PACE and EXPORTS, developing launch-ready algorithms for phytoplankton productivity estimation and validating global oceanographic methods. His work integrates field measurements with theoretical modeling to improve carbon cycle predictions.