Bio: Dr. Ruth H. Carmichael

Dr. Ruth H. Carmichael is a Professor of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama and Senior Marine Scientist and Special Advisor to the Executive Director, on Research and Ocean Health at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. She manages multiple, large collaborative projects, including work with Federal, state and local agencies and community stakeholders. She has more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, including co-production of knowledge to support science literacy and community reach. 

Dr. Carmichael’s research focuses on understanding the human footprint in coastal systems, linking human activities and land use to changes in habitat and food resources. She combines traditional ecological techniques with elemental and telemetry methods to understand how organisms respond to these environmental perturbations, from physiological responses to changes in growth and survival or movement patterns. She served on numerous advisory committees and technical review panels and is Director of DISL’s NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Joint Graduate Fellowship Program with the USFDA, and the DISL Marine Mammal Research Program.