Phil Colarusso
Current Job: Marine Biologist
Current Project: Multiple projects: looking at small scale variation in carbon concentrations in sediments in eelgrass meadows; part of an intercomparison mapping study looking at satellite, aerial photography, drone imagery and diver surveys in assessing eelgrass distribution; part of a larger effort to document eelgrass flowering rates and timing of seed maturation
State(s) working in: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine
Where are you from: born in Winthrop, MA a small suburb of Boston
What do you think is the main reason we should protect SAV?
To address climate change, we need to use every tool in the toolbox. The ability of seagrasses to sequester carbon is a critical environmental service they provide.
How do you feel your research will make a difference in the SAV community?
The impact any of my contributions to research is really for others to judge. I just very humbly get to add my voice to the chorus.
What is one of your best memories working with SAV?
This was an easy one to answer. I remember diving in a meadow on Martha's Vineyard on a sunny summer day and just seeing endless streams of bubbles emanating from the leaves. It occurred to me I was seeing visual evidence of the process of photosynthesis. At the time, I thought that was so cool and now many, many years later, I still do.
What keeps you motivated to keep caring about the future of SAV?
Ultimately, our motivation for taking care of the planet is self-serving. We all have children and families, for whom we want to leave a healthy ocean to. Additionally, the colleagues in the "seagrass community" I have had the honor of meeting and working with over the years, have greatly enriched my life. Thus, I feel an obligation to pay that forward to the generation(s) coming up behind me.
More about Phil’s story
I grew up a block from the Atlantic Ocean and from a very young age knew my career path. My parents sent me to an engineering school (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) hoping that would alter my trajectory. I went to graduate school at UMass/Boston and got a masters studying how green crabs accumulated and metabolized organic chemicals. I had 1 job interview and was offered a position at EPA Region I in 1989. Shortly after starting there, I started working on eelgrass issues and was very fortunate to have EPA send me back to graduate school. I received a doctorate from Northeastern University studying carbon metabolism in eelgrass.
For the more important details, I met my lovely wife a few months after we both started at EPA and have been a couple ever since. We have two adult children (Mike and Ally and son-in-law Justin) and 1 grand-dog. I've never lived more than 50 miles from Boston at any time. You would only guess I'm from Boston if you've ever seen me drive or dared to say a negative thing about any of our sports teams!
