Who We Are
James R. Watson
Associate Professor
College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Oregon State University, USA
email: james.watson@oregonstate.edu
Google Scholar
Education and Professional Appointments
BSc Biochemistry, University of Bristol, UK, 1998-2001
MSc Oceanography, National Oceanography Centre, UK, 2003-2005
PhD Marine Science, University of California Santa Barbara, USA, 2006-2011
Post-doc Scholar, Atmospheric And Ocean Sciences program (AOS), Princeton University, USA, 2011-2013
Post-doc Research Associate, Dept. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, USA, 2014
Forskare, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sweden, 2014-2017
Assistant Professor, Oregon State University, OR, USA, 2017-2022
Associate Professor, Oregon State University, OR, USA, 2022-present
Post-docs + Research Associates
2018 – A. John Woodill, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
John has expertise in resource economics, data science, climate adaptation, harmful algal blooms, predicting and measuring the impacts of illegal fishing.
2023 – Zech Meunier, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Zech studies resilience in marine ecosystems using field experiments, big environmental data, and tools from machine learning, statistics, and dynamical systems theory.
2023 – Jack Buckner, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Jack researches solutions for applied conservation and resource management problems using tools from theoretical ecology, resource economics and machine learning.
PhD Students
2024 – Thanasis Karageorgos, PhD student in Geography, Oregon State University.
Thanasis researches trade-offs between different coastal users and security sectors, with the overall aim being to contribute towards a sustainable, socially equitable future. His current research focuses on how to maximize the energy yield of Offshore Wind Farms while minimizing the impacts on fisheries.
2020 – Lisa Thompson, PhD student in Environmental Science, Oregon State University.
Lisa researches how satellite data can be leveraged to better understand vessel behavior and adaptation to policies and environmental factors. Her work focuses on improving understanding of vessel behavior in Alaska’s fisheries, evaluating data accuracy, and exploring interactions between fishing vessels and law enforcement/ naval vessels. She aims to support fisheries management policies and address global challenges like climate change and maritime competition..
2020 – Kunal Rathore, PhD student in Environmental Science, Oregon State University.
Kunal works on the interdisciplinary application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). His current research focuses on developing hybrid Scientific Machine Learning (SciML) models in ecology and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). He has also developed explainable AI methods for computer vision models, particularly symbolic approaches. Kunal has experience in data modeling, designing, and developing pipelines for GenerativeAI (LLM) models as enterprise applications. More about him at https://kjrathore.github.io/.
2020 – Val Chang, PhD student in the Geography Program, Oregon State University.
Val researches the entanglement between the physical and social dimensions of climate change. Their current project uses satellite remote-sensing and environmental soundscapes to understand the way climate change impacts our relationships to place. Val is an interdisciplinary artist creating video-based projection art installations about their work transforming science into action and building emotional resonance in climate change research.
Masters Students
2020 – Alpha Lo, MS student in Geography, Oregon State University.
Alpha studyies how land restoration can restore rain, how earth self-regulates itself through the hydrological cycle, the hydrological cycle as complex system, and how groundwater lessens wildfire.
Former Lab Members
Keiko Nomura, 2019-2024, PhD, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University (also completed an MS in Marine Resource Management).
Ernesto Villarino, 2019-2021, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Mihir Joshi, 2018-2021, High School Student (research experience), College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Anne Devan Song, 2018-2022, PhD, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Ciera Villegas, 2017-2022, PhD, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Steven Johnson, 2017-2022, PhD, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
George Hagstrom, 2020, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Srikar Valluri, 2020, BS, Computer Science, Oregon State University.
Nicolás Gómez-Andúja, 2019-2021, MS, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Shannon Hennessey, 2020-2021, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Ernesto Villarino, 2018-2021, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Mathew Titus, 2017-2020, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Alison Iles, 2019, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Zach Gelbaum, 2017-2019, Post-doc, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University.
Emily Klein; 2014-2016, Post-doc, Stockholm Resilience Centre / Princeton University exchange program
Matthieu Barbier; 2014-2016, Post-doc, Stockholm Resilience Centre / Princeton University exchange program
Laura Elsler; 2014, MS student, Sustainable Development-Environmental Sciences, University of Graz
Roweena Patel; 2013, MS student, Sustainability Science, Stockholm Resilience Centre
Angela Zhou; 2013, BS student, Stockholm Resilience Centre research intern from Princeton University
Jen Zhao; 2013, BS student, Stockholm Resilience Centre research intern from Princeton University
Alex Ahn; 2011-2012, BS student, Stockholm Resilience Centre research intern from Swarthmore College