About Me

Hi! I’m Trevyn Toone.

I’m a marine ecologist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I’m interested in harnessing ecological principles to restore our marine ecosystems.

Broadly, my research interests focus on optimizing marine ecosystem restoration by providing targeted, science-based data for restoration managers. I believe ecosystem restoration can and should be a core component of any environmental plan. Restoration should be backed up by robust scientific evidenceto make the best use of available efforts and funding. I’m seeking to expand our definition of restoration and encourage managers and conservationists to better incorporate complex environmental interactions into restoration efforts.

Specifically, my research has ranged from intertidal marshes to deep-sea coral reefs tracking the decline of marine ecosystems, unraveling recovery trajectories, and trialling novel restoration methods. Combining these approaches into a single research program allows for a broad view of global ecosystem change across environmental disciplines and provides insights into the past and future of our marine environment. Ultimately my reseach is used to improve marine restoration outcomes like biodiversity and climate resilience as well as enhance our baseline understanding of our oceans and coasts. My research generally uses extensive field work as well as social science techniques and computational analyses.

I’m a passionate educator and have served as an instructor and teaching assistant for multiple courses ranging from introductory marine biology to advanced experimental design and statistics. My teaching approach focuses on using experiential education and classroom discussions to help students learn how and why we engage in science and to unravel some of the complex environmental and social issues facing the world.

I’m also an advocate for the use of non-traditional science communication to improve science accessibility. In particular, I’m passionate about the power of animation and storytelling to spread scientific information beyond its usual reach.