Through Dr. Robinson’s research, he has uncovered the impact that ocean deoxygenation (the ocean’s loss of oxygen) has on ocean chemistry and phytoplankton growth along the California coast, as well as the intersection between deoxygenation and international ocean policy. Now, as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems-II at Florida A&M University, his work has transitioned toward understanding the ocean’s stressors on fish species migration and otolith geochemistry, as well as fisheries management in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally he serves as the co-chair of the Center for Developing Leadership in Science Policy Working Group.

Previously, Dr. Robinson worked at the White House Council on Environmental Quality as a 2023 Knauss Fellow, where he helped advance Arctic policy and ocean resource management while fostering government-to-government relations with Tribal and Indigenous coastal communities. His work contributed to the co-production of the Ocean Climate Action Plan, Ocean Justice Strategy, and the National Strategy for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

Dr. Robinson earned his Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), becoming the first African-American to receive a PhD in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at UCLA. While at UCLA, he was the recipient of the Early Career Fellowship with the UCLA Center for Developing Leadership in Science, the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, and an AGU Travel Grant Fellowship. He also participated in the Aquatic Microbial and Molecular Ecology Course in Denmark and joined several research expeditions, including dives in the Human-Operated Vehicle (HOV) Alvin. His research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including Biogeosciences, Sustainability, and Marine Environmental Research. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Florida A&M University and an M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from UCLA.