Enric Sala
User Profile
Dr. Enric Sala is a marine ecologist who fell in love with the sea growing up on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Witnessing the harm people do to the oceans led him to dedicate his career to understand and find ways to mitigate human impacts, such as overfishing, pollution and coastal development. After obtaining a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Aix-Marseille, France, Enric moved to the U.S.A., where he became Professor of Marine Ecology and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Recently he became a Scientific Researcher at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). Enric is actively engaged in research, teaching, and communication of scientific knowledge related to the conservation of marine ecosystems.
Enric's research develops practical solutions to improve the health of our oceans. His research includes an important exploration component, searching for the last healthy marine ecosystems that can give us an understanding of the past and the present that can be used to inform the future. He spends a great deal of time diving in many locations, including the Caribbean, the Sea of Cortés, the Mediterranean, and remote Pacific islands. His scientific publications are widely recognized and used for real-world conservation efforts such as the creation of marine reserves.
Enric is a 2005 Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow, a 2006 Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation, a 2006 National Geographic Emerging Explorer, and a Wildlife Conservation Society Research Fellow. Enric's experience and scientific expertise contributes to his service on scientific advisory boards of international environmental organizations.
