My research covers a variety of topics, all involving human interactions with marine and coastal environments.  I’m particularly interested in public participation, spatial planning & management, shellfish aquaculture, marine protected areas, and governance of linked social and ecological systems.  Most of my research takes place in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, the broader New England region, and in the Caribbean.  My most recent projects include a study of the social and ecological factors influencing marine protected area performance in the Caribbean,  studies of spatial patterns of use in RI coastal waters, a study of the use of monitoring technologies within a coastal and marine context, studies of the impacts of the Block Island Wind Farm on human activities, and a study of public perceptions of shellfish aquaculture in RI.

I teach undergraduate and graduate courses at URI on human use & management of the marine environment, management of marine protected areas, and coastal zone management.   I also advise graduate students as they develop and carry out their own research projects.

T. Dalton CV July 2019