Section for Natural Resources
Providing translational science for sustainable management of coastal socio-ecological systems, especially fisheries and aquaculture.
The Section for Natural Resources thrives on cutting-edge research, boasting talented faculty, staff and students. Our work spans a vast spectrum, from the microscopic world of algae to the mysterious realm of sharks. We employ a diverse toolkit, including advanced DNA sequencing, advanced data science and sophisticated population modeling to address critical challenges facing our natural resources.
Strong community collaborations are central to our mission. We provide valuable educational programs, outreach initiatives and technical assistance to foster informed decision-making as well as housing one of largest collections of fish and invertebrates of Virginia, serving as an invaluable resource for scientific inquiry.
Ultimately, our research endeavors are guided by a single, overarching goal: to provide impactful scientific knowledge that informs the sustainable management of our natural resources.
Eric J. Hilton, Section Chair
Eric J. Hilton, Professor and Curator of the VIMS Nunnally Ichthyology Collection, is a systematic ichthyologist, with a primary research focus on the evolutionary biology of fishes. He uses a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on the principles and techniques of comparative anatomy, developmental biology and ontogeny, genetics biogeography, histology, paleontology, and phylogenetic systematics. He’s particularly interested in the morphological structure, emphasizing the skeleton, and evolution of a wide variety of groups of fossil and living fishes, especially (though not limited to!) the ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii). Read the Chair's full biography and resume.