AUSTIN HUMPHRIES

I am a marine scientist and academic leader who studies how ocean health and human well-being are linked, using fisheries as my lens. I serve as Professor and Chair of the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Rhode Island (URI). I lead a research group that studies how people and marine ecosystems interact, generating actionable science to support resilient, equitable, and sustainable fisheries. In 2027, I will be a Fulbright U.S. Scholar at the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) in Lisbon, developing improved ecosystem models for small pelagic fisheries. I am also President of Marine Market Systems, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Mozambique that is dedicated to transforming how coastal communities understand, value, and steward their marine resources.

My research is interdisciplinary, collaborative, and partner-driven. Working with communities, NGOs, and governments, I co-design projects that link ecological processes in fisheries to social and cultural outcomes. A central aim of my work is to integrate voices that are often underrepresented in decision-making about marine resources. I approach this work with an awareness of the colonial histories that shape fisheries science and management, and how this influences both the research I conduct and the knowledge I help produce.

Prior to my current roles, I served as Regional Director for USAID’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, Founder and Graduate Director for the USAID Center for Collaborative Research on Coral Reef Fisheries in Indonesia, and as a Postdoctoral Fellow with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I earned my Ph.D. from Rhodes University (South Africa) through research conducted with the Wildlife Conservation Society in Kenya, and completed my M.S. at Louisiana State University and B.S. at the University of Vermont.

More information about my work can be found on various websites including LinkedIn, Google Scholar, URI, or Marine Market Systems.