Sonoma State University biology professor Daniel E. Crocker has been named an Academy Fellow at the California Academy of Sciences.
The Academy Fellows are a governing group of more than 400 distinguished scientists who have made notable contributions to one or more of the natural sciences. Members are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the Board of Trustees and remain members of the Fellowship for life.
Crocker's research focuses on the ecology of marine vertebrates, including their physiology and behavior. He studies the metabolic adaptations that allow animals to go for long periods without food and water, and to hold their breath while exercising.
His current research focuses on the endocrine stress responses, foraging success, and reproduction of marine mammals. The ultimate goal of this research is to better understand how marine vertebrates respond to climate variability and anthropogenic stressors. Crocker received an MS in marine sciences and a Ph.D. in biology from UC Santa Cruz. He joined the faculty at Sonoma State in 2000.
Crocker has received grants from the National Science Foundation and other organizations for his work with elephant seals, seals, sea lions and other pinnipeds. His approach is to integrate physiology and behavior with the aim of addressing ecological theory. He authored or co-authored 21 research papers in 2015.
Crocker and 11 others join such well-known Academy Fellows as Sylvia Earle, Paul Ehrlich, John Holdren, Peter Raven, John McCosker and Jill Tarter.