Richard Aronson

Richard B. Aronson is a Professor and Department Head in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences at Florida Institute of Technology. He specializes in Antarctic ecology, coral reefs, and paleoecology, focusing on climate change impacts on marine ecosystems. His research integrates paleontological and ecological data to predict future biotic responses. Aronson earned his A.B. from Dartmouth College (1979) and Ph.D. from Harvard University (1985).

His work emphasizes extreme environments like Antarctica and tropical reefs, studying species vulnerability to warming. Key projects include ETP coral resilience, Caribbean reef dynamics, and Antarctic predator invasion risks. He leads the Marine Paleocology Lab, producing educational films on climate change and mentoring doctoral/undergraduate students. Aronson advises on coral conservation strategies and collaborates with institutions like NSF, NOAA, and the Smithsonian.