Dr. Gregory Barord

I was 4 years old when a squid documentary on TV got me interested in the ocean. Since that time, the only thing I've wanted to do was become a marine biologist and study the ocean, specifically cephalopods.

I received my B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston, my M. Phil. in Biology from City University of New York, and my Ph.D. in Biology from City University of New York.

Currently, I am a Conservation Biologist for Save the Nautilus and a Marine Biology Instructor for Central Campus. Prior to this, I worked at the National Resource Center for Cephalopods (2003-2008), Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation (2005), the Aquarium at Moody Gardens (2006-2008), and Alaskan Observers Inc. (2008-2010).

I completed my doctoral dissertation, "On the Biology, Behavior, and Conservation of the Chambered Nautilus, Nautilus sp." My current research focus is addressing the remaining gaps in our understanding of several basic biological and behavioral questions about nautiluses to promote conservation and good stewardship going forward. A large part of this is educational outreach and awareness which is why I recently took a position at Central Campus in the Marine Sciences Department to not only provide high school students with a chance do their own research and ask their own questions, but also engage the next generation of students in the entire process of conserving nautiluses and the ocean as a whole. These students will directly impact and impact nautilus conservation by working on their own projects in the laboratory which address specific questions about nautiluses. Having students involved in the whole process legitimatizes the long term success of our over goal to protect nautiluses.

I am also a scientific advisor for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Board, a scientific moderator for The Octopus News Magazine Online, and a scientific advisor for the Nautilus Advisory Group.

March 2016