From Deep-Sea Corals to Alpine Dragonflies: Tulane SSE Welcomes Professor Jaymes Awbrey

The Tulane University School of Science and Engineering (SSE) is pleased to welcome Dr. Jaymes Awbrey to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Joining the faculty as a Professor of Practice in Marine Biology, Dr. Awbrey brings a wealth of experience in taxonomy, deep-sea exploration, and innovative pedagogy to the Tulane community.

Originally from Farmington, Minnesota, Dr. Awbrey’s path to marine biology was shaped by a lifelong fascination with the natural world and a background in competitive swimming. "I figured out how to take my childhood love of pressing my nose up against the glass at the zoo and understanding what all the different animals were, and made it into a profession," he said.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Carleton College, he pursued a Master’s degree at California State University, Los Angeles, where he utilized genetics to study cryptic sea slugs. He later moved to Louisiana to complete his Ph.D. at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, focusing on the taxonomy and evolution of deep-sea corals within the (now-former) family Acanthogorgiidae.

While his background is rooted in marine systems, Dr. Awbrey recently engaged in an international research expedition. He traveled to Austria and France to collect dragonfly larvae in collaboration with Dr. Melissa Toups (School of Biological Sciences, University of Louisiana at Lafayette), after prior collection trips to Finland. The project aims to understand sex chromosome evolution, specifically investigating a Finnish population of dragonflies that appears to be evolving a neo-Y chromosome.

The team focused on collecting larvae before they reach reproductive maturity to analyze gene expression. "It’s going to be a bit of an interesting trek because we haven't sampled there before. So, there's going to be a lot of challenges trying to find new ponds and other places that might have a lot of dragonflies."

At Tulane, Dr. Awbrey will be a core contributor to the Marine Biology minor. His teaching philosophy emphasizes practical skill acquisition, a concept he illustrates through a unique analogy. "I very much think of education and college as sort of Batman and the tools on his tool belt. Everyone knows Batman's got all these random little gadgets on his belt that he's able to just pull out for the exact moment he needs it."

He aims to ensure students graduate with a diverse set of "tools," from molecular techniques like DNA barcoding to field experience, so they are prepared for careers in conservation, research, or industry. "I want [students] to have all of those tools by the end of it... so that when [they] go to apply to grad school, when [they]  go to apply to fish and wildlife or equivalent departments... [they] have the skills to get that job.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Awbrey plans to revitalize marine biology coursework, including potential classes on Marine Ecology, Deep Sea Biology, and even a "sharks class." He is also eager to establish closer ties with the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) to offer field-based learning opportunities.

Beyond the classroom, he is embracing his new home in New Orleans, citing an interest in the local food, festivals, and the New Orleans Aquarium. He also maintains an open-door policy for his students: "Students are always welcome to knock out my office door and if I've got time for our conversation, I’m happy to chat with them about career opportunities, research opportunities, and nerding out if they want."

By integrating rigorous scientific research with a student-centered, interdisciplinary approach to teaching, Dr. Awbrey embodies the Tulane mission of fostering discovery and preparing the next generation of scientific leaders.