Robert K. Trench

Today, we’re looking at Robert K. Trench, one of the leading figures in the study of marine biology. Trench was born in British Honduras in 1940 where he was fascinated by the coral reefs that surrounded his home. He studied Zoology at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica then later earned his Ph.D. at University of California. He began his career as an assistant professor of biology at Yale in 1972 then became a full professor at University of California in 1976 until his retirement in 2000.

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Trench focused his research on coral reefs and algae. He studied how coral reefs grew underwater and how symbiosis was essential to both coral and algae. His theses and research studies earned him the title as a leading expert on the topic in a variety of scientific fields such as ecology, physiology, and biochemistry. Today’s marine biologists and scientists continue to use his research when learning about these topics, and it guides them when working out in the field.

Last updated February 22, 2022