John Bohorquez is an interdisciplinary marine conservation scientist who performs research and advisory with Stony Brook University, the United Nations, NGOs, and foundations. His areas of expertise include conservation finance, marine protected areas, climate change resilience, fisheries, and others (see current work for a summary of ongoing projects). John is a research associate with Stony Brook University's School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences in New York, the Founding Director of the Blue Economy Solutions Lab, and a Technical Specialist with the Conservation Finance Alliance.
Recent and ongoing collaborations have included development of the One Ocean Finance Facility with the UN Capital Development Fund and other partners, international coordination for coral reef conservation with Stony Brook and the New York Climate Exchange, and research on global MPA finance with the Blue Nature Alliance.
John previously worked in international fisheries conservation with The Ocean Foundation in partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts working on researching and implementing sustainable fishing policies with regional fishery management organizations. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship and Ph.D. at Stony Brook University where his research included MPA finance in Latin America and the Caribbean, the policy and ecology of marine protected areas in China, the ecosystem service value of shellfish aquaculture in the New York metro area, and ecosystem restoration along Long Island's coastline.
Prior to entering graduate school, John worked in finance within the renewable energy and commercial real estate space, performing acquisitions as well as asset management and advisory duties for multiple firms. He received his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine) where he majored in Economics and Environmental Studies and minored in Earth & Oceanographic Sciences.
John serves on committees and advisory panels with several environmental organizations including IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The Economist magazine, and The Explorers Club. He is a USA and Colombia citizen who spends his time between Colombia, New York, and Maine. John loves soccer, writing, and the outdoors as an avid skier, hiker, sea-kayaker, and SCUBA diver.