Commissioner
U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy
Dr. Frank Muller-Karger is a professor of Biological Oceanography in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida, where he also is the director of the Institute for Marine Remote Sensing (IMaRS). His primary interests are science education and oceanographic research of coastal zones and continental margins. His research focuses on understanding factors that affect the distribution and abundance of living marine resources including plankton, coral reefs, and larger animals, and on the role of the marine environment in the global carbon cycle. He utilizes observational time series, satellite data, high-speed computing and other new technologies to measure large-scale oceanographic phenomena.
Dr. Muller-Karger received the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Award for Outstanding Contributions and the NASA Administrator Award for Exceptional Contribution and Service for his work in supporting the development of satellite technologies for ocean observation. He has degrees in biological oceanography and in marine and estuarine science, and an advanced degree in management. He has authored and co-authored more than 80 scientific publications.