Jonathan Cohen

Jonathan Cohen is Professor of Marine Science and Undergraduate Coordinator in the College of Earth, Ocean & Environment at the University of Delaware. Based at the School of Marine Science & Policy in Lewes, Delaware, he leads research that bridges neurobiology, visual ecology, and polar biology while coordinating academic programs for marine science majors.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (2005–2006)
• Ph.D., Biology, Duke University (2004)
• B.S., magna cum laude, Biology & Environmental Science, Dickinson College (1999)

Research Interests

Prof. Cohen’s interdisciplinary program centers on how marine animals perceive and respond to light. His laboratory combines comparative physiology, neurobiology, and field ecology to investigate:

• Visual systems of crustaceans and fish across ontogeny
• Behavioral and physiological adaptations to extreme Arctic light regimes
• Interactions between light fields, zooplankton migrations, and estuarine transport processes
• Ecological impacts of microplastics mediated through sensory disruption

Recent work leverages autonomous vehicles, high-resolution optical sensors, and next-generation biophysical models to quantify how environmental change alters marine sensory landscapes.

Publication Trends

Between 2020 and 2025, Prof. Cohen has authored or co-authored more than 20 papers that collectively chart a trajectory from organismal sensory biology to large-scale physical-biological coupling. The corpus reveals three dominant themes: (1) Polar-night marine optics and bioluminescence as ecological drivers; (2) Estuarine transport and retention of buoyant particles including microplastics; and (3) Visual ecology and sensory physiology of larval and adult crustaceans. These studies integrate laboratory microcosm experiments, high-latitude field campaigns, and numerical modeling to provide a mechanistic understanding of how light governs organismal behavior and ecosystem processes.

Scientific Awards & Honors

No specific awards are listed in the provided materials; however, sustained NSF and collaborative funding is evident from the publication record.

Advising & Grants

As the Marine Science Undergraduate Coordinator, Prof. Cohen mentors a large cohort of majors, oversees curriculum development, and supervises senior theses and research projects. Graduate students and postdocs routinely participate in his externally funded projects, though individual names are not disclosed in the supplied text.

Laboratories & Field Assets

Research is conducted within the Cannon Laboratory Complex in Lewes, DE, providing access to running seawater systems, optics labs, and microscopy suites. Field programs utilize UD’s coastal vessels, autonomous surface vehicles, and partnerships at Arctic stations such as Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard.