Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Dr. Robert Ahrens, Courtesy Faculty

Dr. Robert Ahrens is a quantitative fisheries scientist working on Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) in the Fisheries Research and Monitoring Division (FRMD) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Island Fisheries Science Centre (PIFSC) (https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov). He has 19-yrs of experience developing statistical and mathematical models related to the management of fisheries.  He received his graduate degrees (Masters and Ph.D. in Zoology) from the Fisheries Centre of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

From 2011-2020 he was faculty at the University of Florida in the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, where he established a dynamic research program, working closely with state and federal agencies. The goal of his research is to foster sustainable use of natural resources by advancing the models used to inform management decisions. He has advised 40 graduate students and was the graduate advisor for the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program.

His research explores the development of quantitative assessment models aimed at improving the management of natural populations in the face of uncertainty. His research to date has ranged from developing simple single species assessments through to global ecosystem models. He has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in quantitative stock assessment, applied ecology and population dynamics, sampling methods, statistics, and scientific thinking.