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Phaedra Doukakis , PhD

Academic Coordinator
MAS Degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
UC San Diego
pdoukakis@ucsd.edu
858-534-5022
Dr. Phaedra Doukakis is currently the Academic Coordinator for the Master Degree in
Marine Biodiversity at UCSD and Scripps, and a visiting Scientist and
Natural Resource Specialist at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Center.
Prior to these posts, Dr.
Doukakis held positions as a Senior Research Scientist at the
Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University
(SoMAS), a Research Scientist at the Pew Institute for Ocean Science
at the University of Miami (RSMAS), and a Conservation Scientist at the
Wildlife Conservation Society.
Phaedra holds a B.S. in Biology (1994) from the
University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Ph.D. in Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology (2000) from Yale University. Her research
focuses on conservation of sturgeons and other fishes through the
application of genetic and field studies. She further works to
translate science into policy, most notably through her involvement with
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
She has also run public outreach campaigns on sturgeon conservation.
Beyond sturgeon, Dr. Doukakis has worked on broad marine conservation
topics, including fisheries and marine park management in Central
Asia, West Africa, Madagascar and the USA. Throughout all of her
projects she strives to take an interdisciplinary approach that
incorporates science, policy, outreach and advocacy.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Yale University (joint program with the American Museum of Natural History), Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 2000
M.S., M. Phil. Yale University, Biology, 1996
B.S. w/Honors University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Biology, 1994 (summa cum laude)
PRESENT POSITIONS
- University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 8/10-present,
Academic Coordinator, MAS in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Regional Office, Long Beach, CA,
9/10-present, Natural Resource Specialist (green sturgeon ESA
take-reduction program)
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, 7/09- present, Visiting Scientist
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1) Doukakis P, Hanner R, Shivji M, Bartholomew C, Chapman D, Wong E,
Amato G (in press) Applying genetic techniques to study remote shark
fisheries in northeastern Madagascar. Mitochondrial DNA.
2) Doukakis P, Babcock E, Sharov A, Pikitch EK, Baimukanov M,
Yerbulekov S, Bokova Y, Nimatov (2010). Management and recovery options
for Ural River beluga sturgeon based upon the first quantitative
assessment. Conservation Biology 24(3): 769-777.
3) Doukakis P, Parsons ECM, Burns WCG, Salomon AK, Hines E, Cigliano
JA (2009) Gaining traction: Re-treading the wheels of marine
conservation. Conservation Biology 23 (4): 841-846.
4) Doukakis P, Erickson D, Baimukhanov M, Bokova Y, Erbulekov S,
Nimatov A, Pikitch EK (2008). Field and genetic approaches to enhance
knowledge of Ural River sturgeon biology. In: Lagutov V (ed.) Rescue of
Sturgeon Species in the Ural River Basin. Springer, The Netherlands, pp.
277-292.
5) Waldman JR, Doukakis P, Wirgin IA (2008) Molecular analysis as a
conservation tool in trade and conservation of North American sturgeons
and paddlefish. J. of Applied Ichthyology 24 (Suppl.1): 46–49.
6) Doukakis P, Jonahson M, Ramahery V, Randriamanantsoa, BJD (2007).
Traditional fisheries of Antongil Bay, Madagascar. Western Indian Ocean
J. of Marine Science 6(2): 175-181.
7) Erickson D, Kappenman K, Webb M, Ryabinin N, Shmigirilov A, Belyae
B, Novomodny G. Mednikova A, Pikitch E K, Doukakis P (2007) Sturgeon
conservation in the Russian Far East and China. Endangered Species
Bulletin XXXII: 28-32.
8) Pikitch E, Doukakis P, Lauck L, Chakrabarty P, Erickson DL (2005)
Sturgeon and paddlefish fisheries of the world: conservation strategies
for the future. Fish and Fisheries 6: 233-265.
9) Pikitch EK, Santora C, Babcock EA, Bakun A, Bonfil R, Conover DO,
Dayton P, Doukakis P, Fluharty D, Heneman B, Houde ED, Link J,
Livingston PA, Mangel M, McAllister MK, Pope J, Sainsbury KJ (2004)
Ecosystem-based fishery management. Science 305(5682): 346-347.
10) Birstein VJ, Doukakis P (2002) Molecular identification of
sturgeon species: science, bureaucracy, and the impacts of environmental
agreements. Monitoring Migratory Animals, Bonn Convention: 47-63.