Michael Rust, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Rust is the Science Advisor for the Aquaculture Office. In this role, he works with NOAA researchers to implement a coordinated aquaculture research strategy across NOAA and in concert with other federal agencies. Mike also works to coordinate aquaculture research activities among federal agencies and academic and international partners. Dr. Rust comes to the program from NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center where his research focused on multiple areas of marine aquaculture. He served as the Program Manager for  Aquaculture Research at the Center, the mission of which is to provide the scientific information and technology needed to create viable, environmentally sustainable marine aquaculture industries and to protect and restore wild fisheries. Mike has fisheries and aquaculture experience both domestically and internationally, in countries including the Philippines, Haiti, Norway, and Canada. He earned a Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Washington, dual M.S. degrees (animal science and international development), and a B.S. in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado.