Chris Lowe

Dr. Chris Lowe is a professor of marine biology and director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, where he and his students use acoustic and satellite telemetry techniques to study the movement, behavior, and physiology of sharks, rays and gamefish.

Lowe earned a Bachelor of Arts in marine biology from Barrington College in Rhode Island and a Master of Science degree in biology from CSULB. In 1998, he earned a doctorate in zoology from the University of Hawaii, studying the bioenergetics of juvenile hammerhead sharks.

He returned to CSULB in 1998 to teach marine biology and oversee the Shark Lab, which was founded in 1966 by Donald R. Nelson, a pioneer in the development and use of acoustic telemetry to study sharks. Lowe has sought to maintain the history of innovation Nelson established. For the past 10 years, he and his students have studied baby and juvenile white sharks in Southern California, contributing significantly to the body of knowledge about the species. Recent research by Lowe and his students has focused on developing underwater robots to autonomously track sharks and gamefish. He has received several academic awards, including CSULB’s 2008-09 Outstanding Professor Award and the 2012 Impact in Research Award.

As the climate and environment continue to change, Lowe frequently speaks with the media about how fluctuations in water temperatures and weather patterns affect ocean life. He has appeared in numerous articles and on television and radio broadcasts, including the PBS/BBC special “Big Blue Live,” “TODAY,” “Al Jazeera America,” “CBC News,” Newsweek, KNX Radio, the Orange County Register, and the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Lowe grew up on Martha’s Vineyard, where he spent much of his youth fishing and diving in the waters around Cape Cod. He comes from a long line of New England fishermen and whalers and believes a career focused on the ocean environment was inevitable.