Principal Investigator
Dr. Benjamin Ruttenberg
Associate Professor
Director, Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences
Ben has been at Cal Poly since 2013, and he loves living and working on the central coast. His research interests are very broad, and range from coral reef ecology, coastal and nearshore fisheries, offshore renewable energy, applications of artificial intelligence to marine science, and lots of other conservation topics that he doesn't have really have time to tackle. He's been Director of the Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences since 2018.
Ben is originally from Chicago, and in his free time, he likes to surf, dive, hike, camp, travel, work in the garden, and root on his once and future hapless baseball team.
Contact: bruttenb (at) calpoly (dot) edu
Associate Professor
Director, Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences
Ben has been at Cal Poly since 2013, and he loves living and working on the central coast. His research interests are very broad, and range from coral reef ecology, coastal and nearshore fisheries, offshore renewable energy, applications of artificial intelligence to marine science, and lots of other conservation topics that he doesn't have really have time to tackle. He's been Director of the Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences since 2018.
Ben is originally from Chicago, and in his free time, he likes to surf, dive, hike, camp, travel, work in the garden, and root on his once and future hapless baseball team.
Contact: bruttenb (at) calpoly (dot) edu
Graduate Students
Kaila Fritch
Master's student, Biology
Kaila graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2021 with a BS in Environmental, Earth and Soil Science. She has been working in the Dean E. Wendt lab since December of 2020, working on nontoxic boat hull paints, the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Project (CCFRP), and the Cal Poly Observing Program. Since April of 2022, Kaila has been leading the project on nontoxic boat hull paints. Her research in the Ruttenberg and Wendt lab is focused on rockfish habitat associations and species complexes using data collected from CCFRP. Kaila’s research interests are in fish populations and dynamics.
Master's student, Biology
Kaila graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2021 with a BS in Environmental, Earth and Soil Science. She has been working in the Dean E. Wendt lab since December of 2020, working on nontoxic boat hull paints, the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Project (CCFRP), and the Cal Poly Observing Program. Since April of 2022, Kaila has been leading the project on nontoxic boat hull paints. Her research in the Ruttenberg and Wendt lab is focused on rockfish habitat associations and species complexes using data collected from CCFRP. Kaila’s research interests are in fish populations and dynamics.
Marissa Bills
Master's student, Biology
Marissa graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2014. She has worked in marine aquaculture and conservation, most recently as a laboratory assistant for California Sea Grant, before joining the Ruttenberg lab in 2020. She will be continuing research on Pismo clam populations and is exploring the aquaculture potential for this species. Marissa is passionate about science communication and looks forward to talking to as many people as possible about Pismo clams.
Master's student, Biology
Marissa graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2014. She has worked in marine aquaculture and conservation, most recently as a laboratory assistant for California Sea Grant, before joining the Ruttenberg lab in 2020. She will be continuing research on Pismo clam populations and is exploring the aquaculture potential for this species. Marissa is passionate about science communication and looks forward to talking to as many people as possible about Pismo clams.
Erin Johnston
Master's student, Biology
Erin received her BS in Marine Biology from the University of California, San Diego in 2017. Previously, she has worked on aging and life history of California yellowtail (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), the California Recreational Fisheries Survey (CDFW), and impacts of invasive quagga mussels to freshwater systems (Ecomarine Consulting). Erin joined the Wendt and Ruttenberg labs in Fall 2019, and her research is focused on impacts of climate change and major oceanographic events on nearshore groundfish species using data collected through the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Project (CCFRP). Her research interests include fisheries management and policy, effects of recreational fishing, and science communication.
Master's student, Biology
Erin received her BS in Marine Biology from the University of California, San Diego in 2017. Previously, she has worked on aging and life history of California yellowtail (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), the California Recreational Fisheries Survey (CDFW), and impacts of invasive quagga mussels to freshwater systems (Ecomarine Consulting). Erin joined the Wendt and Ruttenberg labs in Fall 2019, and her research is focused on impacts of climate change and major oceanographic events on nearshore groundfish species using data collected through the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Project (CCFRP). Her research interests include fisheries management and policy, effects of recreational fishing, and science communication.
Lab Alumni
Dr. Yi-Hui Wang
Research Scientist
Yi-Hui got her BS in Atmospheric Sciences from the National Taiwan University and her PhD in Earth System Science from University of California, Irvine. She was a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow in Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her past research focused on physical mechanisms behind climate variability and air-sea interaction. Yi-Hui joined Cal Poly in 2017 and led much of our offshore wind energy work (see Offshore Wind page!).
She was hired by the California Ocean Protection Council in June 2022 as the Offshore Wind Program Manager. We were sad to lose her but grateful for the many productive years she spent with us! See more about Yi-Hui’s research at yihui-wang.com
Research Scientist
Yi-Hui got her BS in Atmospheric Sciences from the National Taiwan University and her PhD in Earth System Science from University of California, Irvine. She was a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow in Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her past research focused on physical mechanisms behind climate variability and air-sea interaction. Yi-Hui joined Cal Poly in 2017 and led much of our offshore wind energy work (see Offshore Wind page!).
She was hired by the California Ocean Protection Council in June 2022 as the Offshore Wind Program Manager. We were sad to lose her but grateful for the many productive years she spent with us! See more about Yi-Hui’s research at yihui-wang.com
Hannah Rempel
Master's of Science, Biology 2020
Hannah graduated from Lewis & Clark College in 2016. She worked as an Assistant Biologist for the Bonaire National Parks Foundation for a year before joining the lab in 2017. Her master's research focused on quantifying ecological drivers of parrotfish predation on corals across multiple regions of the Caribbean, as well as the healing rates and thresholds of recovery of the endangered Great boulder star coral (Orbicella annularis) from parrotfish predation.
Hannah is conducting a PhD at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute with Dr. Jordan Casey, studying how human-induced changes in coral reefs alter the ecological role of herbivorous and detritivorous fishes.
Master's of Science, Biology 2020
Hannah graduated from Lewis & Clark College in 2016. She worked as an Assistant Biologist for the Bonaire National Parks Foundation for a year before joining the lab in 2017. Her master's research focused on quantifying ecological drivers of parrotfish predation on corals across multiple regions of the Caribbean, as well as the healing rates and thresholds of recovery of the endangered Great boulder star coral (Orbicella annularis) from parrotfish predation.
Hannah is conducting a PhD at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute with Dr. Jordan Casey, studying how human-induced changes in coral reefs alter the ecological role of herbivorous and detritivorous fishes.
Alexandria Marquardt
Master's of Science, Biology 2020
Alex graduated from Oregon State University in 2013 and worked as a shellfish, marine phytoplankton, and biotoxins biologist for the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife before joining the lab in 2017. Broadly, she is interested in applied research and species management. Her research focused on understanding population trends and seasonal patterns of reproduction in Pismo clams (Tivela stultorum) within California to help inform local management of an iconic, yet understudied species. See Alex's research website at alexandrium.weebly.com/.
Alex is conducting a PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science studying the ecology of the Virginia oyster.
Master's of Science, Biology 2020
Alex graduated from Oregon State University in 2013 and worked as a shellfish, marine phytoplankton, and biotoxins biologist for the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife before joining the lab in 2017. Broadly, she is interested in applied research and species management. Her research focused on understanding population trends and seasonal patterns of reproduction in Pismo clams (Tivela stultorum) within California to help inform local management of an iconic, yet understudied species. See Alex's research website at alexandrium.weebly.com/.
Alex is conducting a PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science studying the ecology of the Virginia oyster.
Madelyn Roycroft
Master's of Science, Biology 2018
Madelyn graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014 and joined the Ruttenberg lab as a master’s student in Fall of 2015. Madelyn’s research focused on understanding the foraging ecology of parrotfishes in the Greater Caribbean. She conducted research in St. Croix, USVI and the Florida Keys to understand the impacts that parrotfish specialization and dietary preferences can have on marine benthic communities.
Madelyn was awarded a 2019 CA Sea Grant State fellowship with the Port of San Diego, and recently moved to California Sea Grant, where she now works.
Master's of Science, Biology 2018
Madelyn graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014 and joined the Ruttenberg lab as a master’s student in Fall of 2015. Madelyn’s research focused on understanding the foraging ecology of parrotfishes in the Greater Caribbean. She conducted research in St. Croix, USVI and the Florida Keys to understand the impacts that parrotfish specialization and dietary preferences can have on marine benthic communities.
Madelyn was awarded a 2019 CA Sea Grant State fellowship with the Port of San Diego, and recently moved to California Sea Grant, where she now works.
Ali Wolman
Former Project Administrator, Deep Sea Artificial Intelligence Project
Ali graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Biology and concentration in Marine Biology and Conservation. She worked in the Ruttenberg lab in 2017 as a dive technician collecting data on coral cover in St. Croix, USVI. Ali was the project administrator for the Deep Sea Artificial Intelligence Project from 2018-2020, which seeks to develop A.I. tools to facilitate identification of deep sea organism. This technology will greatly improve efficiency of environmental review for offshore-wind projects. Ali spends her free time scuba diving, writing comedy and singing Vision of Love by Mariah Carey (to the best of her ability).
Former Project Administrator, Deep Sea Artificial Intelligence Project
Ali graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Biology and concentration in Marine Biology and Conservation. She worked in the Ruttenberg lab in 2017 as a dive technician collecting data on coral cover in St. Croix, USVI. Ali was the project administrator for the Deep Sea Artificial Intelligence Project from 2018-2020, which seeks to develop A.I. tools to facilitate identification of deep sea organism. This technology will greatly improve efficiency of environmental review for offshore-wind projects. Ali spends her free time scuba diving, writing comedy and singing Vision of Love by Mariah Carey (to the best of her ability).