Assistant Professor of Marine Biology
907-564-8802
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• Ph.D. and M.Sc. Fisheries Oceanography, University of Massachusetts-Graduate School of Marine Science
• B.Sc. Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Texas A&M University
Prof. Harris was born and raised near Homer, Alaska. Prior to becoming a professor he commercially fished salmon in Prince William Sound and Upper Cook Inlet, worked aboard the AK Dept of Fish & Game Research Vessel Pandalus, and captained an oil spill response vessel in the Beaufort Sea. He is a scientific SCUBA diver and a USCG licensed Captain (100-200 GT) and Able Seaman.
He currently teaches Marine Field Work, Ichthyology, Survey of Marine Biology and Principles of Biology, and will be offering courses in Spatial Statistics, Fisheries Science, and Marine Spatial Planning. He and his colleagues and students are presently studying the use of bio-acoustics in Sockeye and Coho salmon assessment, the habitat and growth characteristics of Pacific Razor Clams, the age/growth of Pacific Black Dogfish, Cottidae (sculpin) systematics, Atlantic Sea Scallop habitat, seabed mapping with underwater video, the impacts of mobile fishing gear on the benthos, and conducting a systems analysis of US fisheries law and policy.
Prof. Harris has published 19 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in journals including Continental Shelf Research, Fisheries Research, Fisheries Oceanography, ICES Journal of Marine Science, and Marine and Ecology Progress Series. His work on natural resource law and policy has been published in the Journal of Politics and Law and in several American Bar Association Marine Resource Committee articles.
Presently he serves on the Fish Ecology and Northwest Atlantic Regional Sea Working Groups of the International Council for Exploration of the Sea and the Habitat/ Ecosystems/ Marine Protected Area Plan Development Team of the New England Fisheries Management Council.
