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David Samuel Johnson

Class of 1964 Associate Professor, William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS

David Samuel Johnson, Class of 1964 Associate Professor at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS, is a storyteller, writer, photographer and marine ecologist focused on how coastal species, such as those found in salt marshes, adapt to global environmental changes like rising temperatures and sea levels. David has received international attention for his work documenting the migration of fiddler crabs into northern states as a result of climate change. Other research has focused on invertebrate responses to ghost forests, parasite-host interaction, the impacts of burrowing crabs on carbon cycling and more.

David advises and mentors students in the Batten School and is engaged in a variety of multidisciplinary research initiatives. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge with the public as well as future generations of scientists. "If you love crab cakes, oysters, fishing, birding," David says, "you love a salt marsh. They provide habitat and food for all of these animals that we care about, protect us from storms, guard against sea level rise and drive coastal economies."

Learn more about Professor Johnson