Dan Okamoto studies population dynamics with a focus on exploited species of importance to coastal communities. We are broadly interested in how environment and species interactions regulate fluctuations in population dynamics and vital rates (i.e. recruitment and connectivity, growth, reproduction & mortality), and how natural resource management affects both ecosystems and people in space and time. Our research integrates mathematical modeling, Bayesian statistical analysis, field data, & laboratory experiments. He collaborate with local fishing and Indigenous communities with aims to design custom models and analyses that bolster equity and sustainability in the process of science and natural resource management. Focal research taxa include sea urchins, macroalgae, forage fish, reef fish and abalone. Core research locations include the oceans surrounding the Great Bear Rainforest (British Columbia), the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area (British Columbia), southeast Alaska, and coastal California.

Don Levitan is interested in the ecology and evolution of marine invertebrates. His work examines the interactions between ecological processes, natural and sexual selection, and molecular evolution. For example, how does population density influence selection on gamete recognition proteins with cascading effects on reproductive isolation and speciation? He enjoys integrating field and laboratory studies into a theoretical framework. He uses a diverse array of tools to answer questions including field experiments on gamete fertilization and reproductive isolation, molecular studies of paternity, hybridization and protein evolution, phylogenetic analysis of trait evolution and theoretical explorations of sexual selection and gamete evolution.