Sandra D. Brooke

Dr. Sandra D. Brooke serves as Full Research Faculty at Florida State University's Coastal & Marine Laboratory, specializing in coral reef ecosystems from shallow to deep-sea environments. Her work focuses on distribution patterns, physiological responses, and anthropogenic impacts on benthic communities.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. from University of Southampton | National Oceanography Centre, UK (2002)
• M.A. in Marine Biology from Virginia Institute of Marine Science (1996)
• M.Sc. from Cranfield Institute of Technology, Bedford, UK (1987)
• B.Sc. from University of Essex, UK (1987)

Research spans invertebrate ecology (corals, oysters, scallops) in hard-bottom habitats and chemosynthetic ecosystems across US Pacific/Atlantic coasts, Gulf of America, and international waters (Costa Rica, Samoa, Bahamas, Italy). She employs in situ observations, lab experiments, and environmental monitoring to characterize benthic communities and define deep-sea coral distribution envelopes.

Recent funding includes The Apalachicola Bay System Initiative awarded by Triumph Gulf Coast Inc. Her work has driven post-Deepwater Horizon oil spill assessments and identification of ecologically sensitive deep reef habitats.

Dr. Brooke leads the Brooke Laboratory, applying research findings to marine conservation through ecosystem exploration and habitat protection strategies.