I am an Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz and lead the Nearshore Ecology Research Group (NERG). My research explores mechanisms of resilience in coastal ecosystems, with a focus on kelp forests and the species interactions that shape their persistence and recovery. By integrating field experiments, long-term monitoring, and data synthesis, my research aims to understand when and why ecosystems transform, and how we can develop conservation strategies that support both biodiversity and human communities.

Dylan is a subtidal benthic ecologist interested in how primary productivity and life history traits shape community dynamics and paths to resilience in kelp forest ecosystems. My research is driven by a deep respect for the ocean and an urgency to solve the anthropogenic challenges that threaten the valuable systems within it. My most recent work focuses on the bull kelp forests of Northern California and I am excited to dive into the mixed kelp forest of Monterey Bay as a first year Ph.D. student!

Sabrina Grant is an incoming Ph.D. student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. She received a B.S. in Aquatic Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara where she first fell in love with kelp forests and sub-tidal fieldwork interning for the Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research program. She continued developing this passion through ecosystem recovery research at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and bull kelp restoration at Moss Landing Marine Labs. Broadly, she’s interested in understanding mechanisms of kelp forest resilience and recovery across macro- and microscopic scales of biological organization. She’s particularly curious about the presence, viability, and persistence of dormant microscopic kelp “seed banks” and their potential to promote kelp recovery following major disturbance events. Apart from research, Sabrina enjoys beach days, traveling, reading, and surfing!

I am a passionate marine biologist with an interest in the conservation of subtidal ecosystems, understanding the interactions of species that uphold the ecosystem's structure, and how the interaction of anthropogenic influences and oceanographic patterns impact subtidal ecosystems. My goal is to continue conducting research in kelp forest communities that contributes to our understanding of this complex and dynamic system. Specific research areas of interest address how urchin barrens develop, the transition of kelp forests stable states, the recovery of Macrocystis pyrifera, the recovery of Pycnopodia helianthoides in the wake of the Sea Star Wasting Disease, and the top-down controls that influence interspecies dynamics in the kelp forest ecosystem. I am an advocate for sustainable business practices, a passionate educator of marine ecology, and a small research vessel operater and sailor, committed to inspiring stewardship and connection to our oceans.