Chad English

As COMPASS’ Policy Director, I work to build constructive dialogue between ocean scientists and the policy and management communities. I develop venues to bring scientists and policymakers together for conversations that drive new thinking and new approaches to both ocean science and ocean policy. I completed my PhD at Scripps Institution of Oceanography where I spent my time thinking about how coastal waters responded to the winds that blow up and down the coast. Two days after I submitted my dissertation I jumped on a plane to Washington, D.C. to serve a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. I then was fortunate to be able to work for the House Committee on Science on a range of science, technology and environmental issues, including the role of science in natural resource governance. My early work on coastal and ocean issues began at the U.S. Geological Survey, where I supported operational models of the San Francisco Bay to serve as aids to navigation, commerce, and recreation. I sail when possible, dive when the water's warm and clear, and hike when there are mountains to be had.