Dr. Peter Ortner

Peter Ortner holds a Ph.D. degree in Biological Oceanography from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a J.D. degree in Environmental Law from the University of Miami School Of Law, and a B.A. from Yale College. Peter was the Chief Scientist at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, located on Virginia Key until he retired from the federal government in November. He was a member of the team responsible for the development of the NOAA definition of an "ecosystem approach to management". He is presently a Research Professor at the University of Miami and the Associate Director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies.

Peter’s research has focused primarily on biological oceanography and the development of innovative sampling technologies and analyses for larval fish and zooplankton. Peter also examines water current structure and biogeochemical distributions as they relate to the abundance, distribution and migration of plankton. Peter’s current focus is South Florida’s coastal ecosystem, future changes that may result from South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER) and its interaction with Climate Change and Climate Variability. Peter has served on the RECOVER Leadership Group, the science arm of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, and upon the Science Coordination Working Group of the SFER Task Force. He was also a founder and long term chair of the Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Program.