Aaron C. Hartmann
Academic Positions
Lecturer and Principal Investigator, 2019 – present
Harvard University, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology
Sarah and Daniel Hrdy Visiting Fellow in Conservation Biology, 2018 – 2019
Harvard University, Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2014 – 2018
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Invertebrate Zoology
San Diego State University, Biology Department, Rohwer Laboratory
NSF PIRE Grant: Assembly of marine biodiversity along geographic and anthropogenic stress gradients. Principal Investigators: Forest Rohwer, Paul Barber, Nancy Knowlton, Allen Collins, Jon Geller, Chris Meyer, Rusty Brainard.
Other Academic Affiliations
Research Associate, 2018 – present
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Affiliate Researcher, 2008 – present
CARMABI Research Station, Willemstad, Curaçao
Academic Training
Ph.D., Marine Biology, 2014
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
NSF GK-12 Fellow, 2012-2013
NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2009-2012
NSF IGERT Fellow, 2007-2009
M.S., Oceanography, 2010
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
B.S., Biology, 2007
University of Vermont
Minor: Environmental Science
Research Grants ARMS to reefs: A new tool to restore coral reef biodiversity, fisheries yield, and human health in Madagascar National Science Foundation, Belmont Forum Call: Transdisciplinary Research for Ocean Sustainability Team: Chris Golden (Harvard), Gildas Todinanahary (IHSM, Madagascar), Max Troell (University of Stockholm, Sweden), Emma Gibbons (Reef Doctor, Madagascar), Marc Leopold (IRD, France) Role: Lead PI Support level: $802,505 (Hartmann allocation = $227,817) Project duration: Spring 2021 – Spring 2024 Summary: This project aims to restore coral reefs as an effort to address two pressing issues of global significance: the decline of coral reef ecosystems and the malnourishment of human populations dependent on them. By using a new technology that mobilizes all the necessary ecological components of reef ecosystems, not just corals, biodiverse reefs will be established in new locations, providing numerous benefits to human populations. A significant benefit and the goal of this project is to increase the abundance of marine food resources, which will provide food security and increase the health and well-being of an impoverished and vulnerable human population in Madagascar. If successful, this transferable technology to reduce reef degradation and the prevalence of food shortages can bring positive transformations throughout the tropics.
Coral Reef Arks: a cost-effective and high-return tool for restoration and conservation of coral reef resources on DoD submerged lands United States Department of Defense Program: Environmental Security Technology Certification Program Team: Jessica Carilli (Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific), Forest Rohwer (San Diego State), Bart Chadwick (Coastal Monitoring Associates) Role: Co-PI Support level: $1,036,000 (Hartmann allocation = $261,415) Project duration: 7/1/2020 – 6/30/2024 Summary: Due to their protected status, many corals and coral reefs impacted by DoD activities legally require mitigation. The primary mitigation approach, typically associated with in-water construction work, is to translocate individual adult corals to new locations, which can be exceedingly expensive, typically has low success rates, and does not completely account for ecosystem losses; thus, further compensatory mitigation in addition to translocation is usually required. This project focuses on translocating a larger proportion of reef diversity, and providing new habitat with improved physical conditions to encourage growth of mini-reefs in advantageous locations that would then produce larvae and help recolonize impacted areas.
Inclusive undergraduate science research labs and research opportunities (Lead PI) Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Program: Advancing Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging through Technology Driven Solutions Team: Michelle Hermans (Harvard University Disability Resources), Tim Rodgers (Director, Disability Services, Harvard Medical School), Logan McCarty (Director of Science Education, Harvard University), Gwen Volmar (Associate Director, Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, Harvard University), Maryam Borton (Lab Safety Advisor, EH&S, Harvard University) Role: Lead PI Support level: $6,000 Project duration: 9/1/2020 – 12/31/2021 Project Overview: To increase the representation of people with disabilities in research, we will (1) increase accessibility awareness and Universal Design practice in science research lab environments through the survey and compilation of online science research lab accessibility data, (2) increase the use of accessibility data by science concentration advisors (including pre-concentration advisors) who are working with students to determine best fit for research lab placement, (3) allow for the independent use of accessibility data by students to help inform which labs they choose to target for inquiry based on their individual needs and preferences, and (4) provide Universal Design training and resources to lab PIs and their staff to increase accessibility in general.
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Hartmann Aaron C., E. Maggie Sogin, Robert A. Quinn, and Simon K. Davy (2022) Editorial: Applying metabolomics to questions in marine ecology and ecophysiology. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:1022877.
*Gamba, Andrea, Daniel Petras, Mark Little, Brandie White, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Forest Rohwer, Rachel A. Foster, Aaron C. Hartmann (2022) Applying tissue separation and untargeted metabolomics to understanding lipid saturation kinetics of host mitochondria and symbiotic algae in corals under high temperature stress. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:853554.
*George, Emma E., James Mullinix, Fanwei Meng, Barbara Bailey, Clinton Edwards, Benjamin Felts, Andreas Haas, Aaron C. Hartmann, Benjamin Mueller, Jim Nulton, Ty N. F. Roach, Peter Salamon, Cynthia B. Silveira, Mark J.A. Vermeij, Forest L. Rohwer, Antoni Luque. (2021) Relevance of coral geometry in the outcomes of the coral-algal benthic war. PeerJ.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Kristen L. Marhaver, Anke Klueter, Michael Lovci, Collin J. Closek, Erika Diaz, Valérie F. Chamberland, Frederick I. Archer, Dimitri D. Deheyn, Mark J. A. Vermeij, Mónica Medina (2019). Acquisition of obligate mutualist symbionts during the larval stage is not beneficial for a coral host. Molecular Ecology, 28, 141-155.
*Galtier d’Auriac, Ines, Robert A. Quinn, Heather Maughan, Louis-Felix Nothias, Steven D. Quistad, Clifford A. Kapono, Jennifer E. Smith, Matthieu Leray, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Forest L. Rohwer, Dimitri D. Deheyn, Aaron C. Hartmann (2018). Before platelets: the production of platelet activating factor during growth and stress in a basal marine organism. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285, 20181307.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Kristen L. Marhaver, Mark J. A. Vermeij (2018). Corals in healthy populations produce more larvae per unit cover. Conservation Letters, 11, 1-12.
Williams, Gareth J., Stuart A. Sandin, Brian J. Zgliczynski, Michael D. Fox, Kathryn A. Furby, Jamison M. Gove, Justin S. Rogers, Aaron C. Hartmann, Zachary R. Caldwell, Nichole N. Price, Jennifer E. Smith (2018). Intra-island oceanographic gradients predict trophic zonation on a coral reef. Marine Biology, 165, 60-65.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Andrew H. Baird, Nancy Knowlton, Danwei Huang (2017). The paradox of environmental symbiont acquisition in obligate mutualisms. Current Biology, 27, 1-6.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Daniel Petras, Robert A. Quinn, Ivan Protsyuk, Frederick I. Archer, Emma J. Ransome, Gareth J. Williams, Barbara A. Bailey, Mark J. A. Vermeij, Theodore Alexandrov, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Forest L. Rohwer (2017). Meta-mass shift chemical (MeMSChem) profiling of metabolomes from coral reefs. Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, 114, 11685–11690.
Carilli, Jessica E., Aaron C. Hartmann, John M. Pandolfi, Kim Cobb, Hussein Sayani, Scott F. Heron, Robert Dunbar, Stuart Sandin (2017). Porites coral response to heat stress across an oceanographic and human impact gradient in the Line Islands. Limnology and Oceanography, 62, 2850-2863.
*Chamberland, Valérie, Kelly Latijnhouwers, Jef Huisman, Aaron C. Hartmann, Mark J.A. Vermeij (2017). Costs and benefits of maternal provisioning of algal symbionts to coral larvae. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284, 20170852.
Quinn, Robert A., Mark J.A. Vermeij, Aaron C. Hartmann, Ines Galtier d’Auriac, Sean Benler, Andreas Haas, Steven D. Quistad, Yan Wei Lim, Mark Little, Stuart A. Sandin, Jennifer E. Smith, Pieter Dorrestein, Forest Rohwer (2016). Metabolomics of reef benthic interactions reveals a bioactive lipid involved in coral defence. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283, 20160469.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Stuart A. Sandin, Valerie F. Chamberland, Kristen L. Marhaver, Jasper M. de Goeij, Mark J. A. Vermeij (2015). Crude oil contamination interrupts settlement of coral larvae after direct exposure ends. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 536, 163-173.
Hartmann, Aaron C. (2014) Effects of environment and life history strategy on coral reproductive success. PhD Dissertation. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Kristen L. Marhaver, Valerie F. Chamberland, Stuart A. Sandin, Mark J. A. Vermeij (2013). Large birth size does not reduce the negative latent effects of harsh environmental conditions across early life stages in two coral species. Ecology, 94, 1966-1976.
Trentacoste, Emily M., Roshan P. Shrestha, Sarah R. Smith, Corine Gle, Aaron C. Hartmann, Mark Hildebrand, & William H. Gerwick (2013). Metabolic engineering of lipid catabolism increases microalgal lipid accumulation without compromising growth. Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, 110, 19748-19753.
Carilli, Jessica E., Simon D. Donner, & Aaron C. Hartmann (2012). Historical temperature variability affects coral response to heat stress. PLOS ONE, 7, e34418.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Jessica E. Carilli, Richard D. Norris, Christopher Charles, & Dimitri D. Deheyn (2010). Stable isotopic records of bleaching and endolithic algae blooms in the skeleton of the boulder forming coral Montastraea faveolata. Coral Reefs, 29, 1079-1089.
Han, Seunghee, Priya Narasingarao, Anna Obraztsova, Joris Gieskes, Aaron C. Hartmann, Bradley M. Tebo, Eric E. Allen, & Dimitri D. Deheyn (2010). Mercury Speciation in Marine Sediments under Sulfate-Limited Conditions. Environmental Science and Technology, 44, 3752-3757.
Druschel, Gregory K., Aaron C. Hartmann, Rachel Lomonaco, & Kenneth Oldrid (2005). Determination of sediment phosphorus concentrations in St. Albans Bay, Lake Champlain: Assessment of internal loading and seasonal variations of phosphorus sediment-water column cycling. Report to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (71 pp.).
*Student first author who I mentored or advised
Commentaries
Hartmann, Aaron C. (2019). Disability inclusion enhances science. Science, 366, 698.
Hartmann, Aaron C. (2013). Education: Science literacy benefits all. Nature, 498, 171.
Hartmann, Aaron C., Lisa A. Levin (2012). Conservation concerns in the deep. Science, 336, 668.
Popular Press Writing
Hartmann, Aaron C. (2012 – 2013). Science Minded blog. San Diego Union Tribune
I authored a blog, hosted by San Diego’s largest newspaper, comprised of 12 posts that introduce students, parents, and teachers to the many aspects of science through my professional and personal experiences as a marine biologist.
Hartmann, Aaron C. (2012). The Lightning of Catatumbo. Sage Magazine.
I authored a creative nonfiction piece about the complex relationship between human needs and coral reef conservation on Curaçao, where I conducted the majority of my doctoral research. Available at: http://bit.ly/YIq3wr. Selected for the 2013 annual print edition.
Fellowships Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference Participant, Middlebury College, 2019
Hrdy Fellowship in Conservation Biology, Harvard OEB, 2018 – 2019
National Science Foundation GK-12 Fellowship, 2012 – 2013
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2009 – 2012
National Science Foundation IGERT Fellowship, 2007 – 2009
PADI Foundation Research Grant, 2012-2013
UCSD Academic Senate Grant, 2011-2012
National Science Foundation IGERT Mini-Grant, 2009
Teaching & Mentoring
Instructor—Marine Biology, Spring 2021—present Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology I created and teach and undergraduate course in Marine Biology in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. In this introductory-level course, I guide my students through the exploration of marine biology with a focus on the interrelated topics of marine physiology, ecology, and evolution. As I build understanding of these fundamentals, we use them as lenses to view and understand larger patterns in the ocean and the growing threats to marine life. In addition to lectures, I use student-led investigations, creative writing assignments, debates, discussions, “Ecosystem Boggle”, mock UNEP meetings, and guests to enhance learning and retention.
Instructor—Conservation Biology, Spring 2018, 2019, 2021
Harvard University, Environmental Science and Public Policy
I created and teach an undergraduate course in Conservation Biology in the Environmental Science and Public Policy concentration. The course included ESPP students as well as students from Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology, Political Science, Physics, and many other majors. The course covered a range of topics in conservation biology and, in addition to lectures, included student-led investigations, creative writing assignments, debates, discussions, mock policy meetings, resource theory games, and a multi-day trip to Maine to observe marine conservation in action
Course Co-Organizer and Instructor, July 2015
University of California Los Angeles
I co-organized a four-week, full-time summer course on microbial ecology and coral reef ecology for Diversity Project students (American undergraduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities). I taught and supervised one week of intensive laboratory techniques to students preparing DNA samples for next-generation sequencing of bacterial communities on algae.
Course Co-Organizer and Instructor, June 2015
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
I co-organized and taught a one-week, full-time course on coral reef biodiversity and next-generation analytical tools (metabolomics and metagenomics) for Filipino undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. In addition to laboratory training, I taught lessons on coral reef metabolomics and coral reef ecology.
Rohwer Laboratory Cohort Leader, 2014 – 2018
San Diego State University
I advised and mentored four Masters students, two Ph.D. students, and two postdocs via weekly meetings, feedback on weekly goals, overseeing proposals, overseeing implementation of research, and publication of results.
Course Co-Organizer and Instructor, June – July 2014
San Diego State University
I co-organized and taught a three-week, full-time summer course on microbial ecology and coral reef ecology for Diversity Project students and Indonesian student researchers. In addition to leading discussions and laboratory training, I taught lessons on global biodiversity patterns, coral reef ecology, and tropical marine fieldwork.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2014
University of California San Diego
I served as a TA for a Biological Oceanography class of more than 100 students (Lecturer: Dr. Michael Landry). I prepared and taught two 45-minute review sections per week and gave one full-class lecture titled “Coral Reef Ecosystems”.
National Science Foundation GK-12 Teaching Fellow, 2012 – 2013
High Tech High North County, San Marcos, California
I prepared and taught weekly marine biology and marine husbandry lessons to sixty students for a full school year. I acquired funding for and oversaw a fifteen-tank coral experiment in a high school classroom that involved sixty students and was conducted over an entire school year.
Graduate Student Mentor, 2009 – 2012
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
I guided and advised four summer and term-long undergraduate interns and one Masters student through independent research projects in the field and laboratory.
Professional Service Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee, Founding Member, 2020 – present Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University I am a member of the group-at-large and our goal is to create and carry out activities to enhance diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in our department. I serve on the Community Education subcommittee, for which I am leading the creation of a program that gives high school students from underrepresented groups the opportunity to intern in labs in our department and carry out mentored scientific research. I also serve on the Governance subcommittee, for which I am helping develop the structure of the DIB committee and how we carry out our projects, programs, and actions.
Harvard Culture Lab and Innovation Fund, Grant Recipient, 2019 – present Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Harvard University I am leading a grant to increase the representation of people with disabilities in STEM by making research labs more inclusive for undergraduates with disabilities and from other underrepresented groups using Universal Design.
Ad Hoc Journal Reviewer Nature, Nature Communications, Coral Reefs, Marine Biology, Communications Biology, Ecosphere, Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Marine Ecology Progress Series, and international funding agencies.
Ad Hoc Panelist NSF PIRE Program proposal review panelist (2016, Washington, DC)
Professional Memberships International Society of Reef Studies, Ecological Society of America, Society for Conservation Biology
Volunteering & Outreach Board President, Campus Child Care Inc., 2021 – present Center Representative & Board Member, 2019 – present Campus Child Care Inc., Cambridge, MA I am the President of the Board for a multi-million dollar childcare non-profit affiliated with Harvard University. As Board President, a volunteer position, I oversee the organization, including upholding its mission to provide top-quality child care. Both of my children are students at one of the centers. I was appointed to the board by our center director and voted President by my fellow board members. One of my primary goals as President is to enhance the anti-bias and anti-racism learning objectives across our centers. As a member of the board prior to serving as President, I helped the organization navigate multiple immense challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Climate Preparedness Week Speaker, 2021 Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW) I hosted an hour-long event on how climate change is affecting other species, namely corals and discussed how the decline of corals creates a negative cascade for reef ecosystems and for humans.
Sea Talk, 2018
Maui Ocean Center, Wailuku, Maui, HI
I gave a 45-minute presentation on my coral ecology research to a broad public audience.
Careers in Conservation Workshop Leader, 2018
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
I discussed my personal and professional history in becoming an ecologist and conservation biologist.
Biology class science advisor and guest lecturer, 2014 & 2015
High Tech High Point Loma, San Diego, CA
I lectured on coral reef biodiversity, ecology, and threats as part of a launch to a student-driven field research project in San Diego Bay. I advised the class on collection and analysis tools for marine biodiversity using ARMS. A short documentary created by the students about the project can be watched below.
Coral reef conservation guide and science advisor, 2015
CARMABI Foundation, Curaçao
Led by professor and former New York Times writer, Andrew Revkin, a group of undergraduate students from Pace University (New York) traveled to Curaçao to shoot and produce a documentary on coral reef conservation issues. I accompanied the class, provided scientific expertise, on-the-ground support, and served as a science expert in the documentary. The students’ documentary can be watched below.
Coral reef conservation guide and science advisor, 2014
CARMABI Foundation, Curaçao
I accompanied a group of high school biology teachers to Curaçao to teach them about coral reef conservation issues on the island. This trip served as one portion of a year-long coral reef conservation project I facilitated as an NSF GK-12 teaching fellow in a San Diego high school. A documentary the students created about the entire project can be watched below.
Escondido Charter High School Leadership Conference participant, 2013
Escondido Charter High School, Escondido, CA
I gave a talk titled “What my heart and coral reefs can teach us about leadership”.
Biology class guest lecturer, 2013
Escondido Charter High School, Escondido, CA
I gave one full-class lecture titled “Adventures in Tropical Marine Biology”.
Science Coach for National Ocean Sciences Bowl, 2007 – 2012
San Ysidro High School and Escondido Charter High School, California
I coached and taught lessons for five consecutive years to teams of high school students preparing for San Diego County’s annual ocean science scholars’ bowl competition.
Husbandry Volunteer at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 2009 – 2012
La Jolla, California
During graduate school, I assisted husbandry staff by maintaining and caring for organisms throughout the aquarium, and in particular the stony corals and other invertebrates. I volunteered for more than 300 hours over the course of three years.
Press Coverage of Teaching & Research
“Great effect of oil leak at Rif St. Marie for coral larvae.” 2015. Amigoe newspaper, Curaçao.
“Coral’s Delayed Reaction to Devastating Effects of an Oil Spill.” 2015. Scripps Oceanography, San Diego, CA.
“Groundbreaking coral research in Curaçao in the spotlight.” 2015. Amigoe newspaper, Curaçao.
“Socrates Fellow Brings Coral Research to Local High School.” 2013. This Week @ UC San Diego. Available at: http://bit.ly/1aw8v8m.
“Population convinced of importance of nature conservation.” 2013. Amigoe newspaper, Curaçao.
“Protest mail from America.” 2013. Amigoe newspaper, Curaçao.
“Oostpunt Plans: Fatal Impact On Reefs Along The Entire South-Eastern Coast.” 2013. Curaçao Chronicle, Curaçao.
“Reefs will die with development of Oostpunt.” 2012. Amigoe newspaper, Curaçao.
Conference Presentations & Invited Talks Harvard Museums of Science and Culture Lecture Series, Harvard University, 2018
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Title: Can baby corals improve the reefs of tomorrow?
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 2018
Boothbay, Maine
Title: Early life histories and the evolution of mutualist symbiont transmission in tropical corals
World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, 2018
Montreal, Canada
Title: Metabolomic diversity and diversification on coral reefs (with Emma J Ransome, Daniel Petras, Dita Cayani, Aji Wahyu, Robert A Quinn, Ivan Protsyuk, Mark Vermeij, Rusty Brainard, Hawis Maddupa, Paul Barber, Chris Meyer, Pieter Dorrestein, Forest L Rohwer).
13th International Coral Reef Symposium, 2016
Honolulu, Hawaii
Title: Molecular modifications in coral reef taxa and the metabolomic rules of community assembly (with R. Quinn, I. Galtier d'Auriac, M. Little, S. Benler, P. Dorrestein, F. Rohwer).
University of Massachusetts Boston, 2016
Boston, Massachusetts
Title: The influence of environment, reproductive mode, and symbiont transmission on coral ontogeny
Oregon State University Integrative Biology Seminar, 2016
Corvallis, Oregon
Title: The influence of environment, reproductive mode, and symbiont transmission on coral ontogeny
Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology Seminar, 2015
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Title: The influence of life history and environment on coral ontogeny
San Diego State University Biology Department Seminar, 2014
San Diego, California
Title: Early life history strategies and the establishment of the coral-algal symbiosis.
University of Vermont Biology Department Seminar, 2013
Burlington, Vermont
Title: Energetic and reproductive patterns in Caribbean stony corals.
26th International Congress for Conservation Biology, 2013
Baltimore, Maryland
Title: High energy content and fecundity of healthy coral reefs in Curaçao (with K. Marhaver & M. Vermeij). Selected as 4th place winner in the Student Award Symposium of over 100.
12th International Coral Reef Symposium, 2012
Cairns, Australia
Title: Linking parental energetics and larval recruitment success in Agaricia humilis (with K. Marhaver & M. Vermeij).
Students & Supervisors
Supervisor:
San Diego State University: Two doctoral students, four Masters students
University of California San Diego: Four undergraduates, one Masters student
Stockholm University: One Masters student Harvard University: One NSF postdoc, two doctoral students (committee member), three undergraduates, one high school student
Doctoral Advisor: Michael Latz (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego)
Doctoral Mentor: Mark Vermeij (CARMABI Foundation, Curaçao)
Postdoctoral Supervisors: Forest Rohwer (San Diego State University), Allen Collins (Smithsonian Institution), Nancy Knowlton (Smithsonian Institution), Chris Meyer (Smithsonian Institution).