Alan Friedlander

Department of Biology

Over the past 35 years Dr. Alan Friedlander has spent > 10,000 hours underwater—from coral reefs to the poles and to depths of thousands of meters. Dr. Friedlander is director of the Fisheries Ecology Research Laboratory at the University of Hawai‘i and Chief Scientist and Director of Research for the National Geographic Society’s program, Last Wild Places. He leads research efforts to help understand and conserve iconic, special places in the ocean and is an expert in marine ecology, fisheries, and conservation.  His work on marine protected areas ranges from small locally community-managed areas to some of the largest protected areas on the planet. Alan received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawai‘i and was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Associate with NOAA in Monterey, California. Alan is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Fellow of the Explorers Club, Duke University Distinguished Conservation Scholar, and along with the National Geographic Pristine Seas Team, was awarded the 2014 Environmental Hero Award by the Environmental Media Association and the 2016 Crystal Compass National Award from the Russian Geographical Society.