Jeffrey Drazen, Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research recipient

Jeff Drazen

Jeffrey Drazen, professor of oceanography, was awarded the 2023 Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research. The University of Hawai‘i  Board of Regents selects faculty for this award in recognition of scholarly contributions that expand the boundaries of knowledge and enrich the lives of students and the community.

Drazen is recognized internationally for his research on food-webs and communities of the open ocean and deep sea, particularly fishes. His work and that of his students and postdocs has helped elucidate the energetic strategies of deep-sea fishes, identified important pathways in deep-sea food webs and explored the ecology of hadal trenches, the deepest ecosystem on earth. His research has helped evaluate the environmental risks of deep-sea mining, a topic of critical interest as companies and countries look to the ocean to supply battery metals needed for the “green transition.” He has authored and co-authored more than 130 scientific articles and book chapters, received more than $20 million in research grants and has participated in more than 60 research cruises with more than 1,000 days at sea, often as chief scientist.

Read more about UH Awards here.