Conservation Science at The Nature Conservancy

People

Rob Brumbaugh
© 2004 Lisa Drake

Rob Brumbaugh, Ph.D.
Restoration Program Director, Global Marine Initiative

Contact Information
The Nature Conservancy
University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay Campus
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, RI 02882-1197

Phone: (401) 874-6870
Fax: (401) 874-6920
Email: rbrumbaugh@tnc.org

Brief Biography
Rob Brumbaugh is the Restoration Program Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Global Marine Initiative, based at the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus. He has more than 10 years experience working on marine and estuarine restoration and management issues as a consultant and as a scientist and manager in the non-profit environmental sector. His recent work has been focused on establishing and testing methods for restoring native oyster populations in Chesapeake Bay, and on the establishment of multi-jurisdictional partnerships to undertake large-scale restoration projects. As Restoration Program Director, Rob provides technical support to field programs involved with marine restoration activities, and facilitates collaboration between a variety of national and regional partners. He also oversees TNC’s partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-Based Restoration Program.

Education
1996 Ph.D., Old Dominion University (Oceanography)
1992 M.S., Old Dominion University (Oceanography)
1988 B.S., Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Marine Science)

Honors and Awards
2003 Coastal America Partnership Award – Back River Restoration Project Scholar
American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow
2000 Carl R. Sullivan Fishery Conservation Award, American Fisheries Society (as member Chesapeake Bay Foundation Fisheries Department)
2000 “100 Interesting Alumni”, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
1992 – 1996 Special Doctoral Research Assistantship, Old Dominion University
1992 Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
1992 Outstanding Graduating Masters Student in Oceanography, Old Dominion University
1992 Hampton Roads Maritime Association Scholarship

Advisory Committees and Public Service (recent)
2002 – 2004 Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) to the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program (Governor’s Appointee)
2003 – 2004 Executive Committee, Lynnhaven River 2007 (non-profit board)
2001 – 2004 Adjunct Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biology Old Dominion University
1996 – 2004 Blue Crab Advisory Committee, Virginia Marine Resources Commission
1996 – 2004 Shellfish Advisory Committee, Virginia Marine Resources Commission

Selected Publications
Allen, S.K., D. Schulte, and R. Brumbaugh. 2003. Terraforming Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Marine Resource Bulletin 35:2-8. Virginia Sea Grant College Program, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester, VA.

Brumbaugh, R.D., L. Sorabella, C. Garcia, W. Goldsborough and J. Wesson. 2000. Making a case for community-based oyster restoration: An example from Hampton Roads, Virginia, U.S.A. J. Shellfish Res. 19: 467-472.

Brumbaugh, R.D., L.A. Sorabella, W.J. Goldsborough, and C. Johnson. 2000. Small-scale aquaculture as a tool for oyster restoration in Chesapeake Bay. Marine Technology Journal 34: 79-86.

Brumbaugh, R.D. 2000. An analysis of limestone marl as a settlement substrate for oysters in Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Technical Report submitted to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Newport News, VA. 12 pp.

Allen, S.K. Jr., R.D. Brumbaugh, and J.C. Fox. 2000. A consensus report from the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Delegation to review French aquaculture: Oyster recovery strategy for the Chesapeake Bay – Proactive Recommendations. Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Gloucester Point, VA. 9 pp.

Brumbaugh, R.D. 1999. Restoring a lost resource. Catalyst 11: 8 – 15. College of Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.

Brumbaugh, R.D. and J.R. McConaugha. 1997. Shallow coastal lagoons as a recruitment habitat for blue crab postlarvae. Proceedings of the Second Marine and Estuarine Shallow Water Science and Management Conference. EPA Technical Paper EPA/903/R/97009.

Brumbaugh, R.D. and J.R. McConaugha. 1995. Time to metamorphosis of blue crab Callinectes sapidus megalopae: effects of benthic macroalgae. Marine Ecology Progress Series 129:113-118.