Tom Niesen

Tom Niesen fell in love with the sea in southern California at an early age and this affair continues as a surfer, diver and marine scientist. He studied marine biology at UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State University and received his PhD from the University of Oregon. Tom retired as professor of marine biology from San Francisco State University in 2006 after 33 years. He has published three marine biology texts, including the very popular Marine Biology Coloring Book.

 

Tom’s main field of expertise is the population ecology of marine invertebrates. He is a diving marine scientist and has logged over a thousand SCUBA dives. Tom’s main research interests are the consequences of biological invasions and the conservation of marine resources. Most of his research occurred in San Francisco Bay and the intertidal and shallow near shore environments of California and Oregon. He has also dived extensively and performed research in the Caribbean and the Gulf of California.

 

Tom began visiting the Gulf of California in 1967 while a master’s candidate at San Diego State University. He has been coming back ever since. Tom worked as an Undersea Specialist for Linblad Expeditions in 2001-2003, and is excited to be back on the Sea Bird and Sea Lion.