Dr. Francesco Ferretti is an Assistant Professor of Fisheries Management and Conservation at Virginia Tech, where he studies sharks, rays, and other large marine predators. His work combines marine ecology, conservation science, statistics, and data science to better understand how human activity is changing ocean ecosystems.
Dr. Ferretti is especially interested in reconstructing the history of human impacts on the ocean and developing new ways to protect marine life. Because scientists often have limited information about what happened in the oceans decades or even centuries ago, he uses unusual sources of data, advanced computer modeling, and modern technology to piece together changes in shark populations, fisheries, and marine ecosystems.
His research has taken him into the study of some of the ocean’s most fascinating predators, including great white sharks. He has been involved in efforts to better understand and conserve the remaining white sharks of the Mediterranean through satellite tagging, fisheries monitoring, biological sampling, and collaboration with fishing communities.
Dr. Ferretti earned his Ph.D. in Marine Ecology from Dalhousie University in Canada and previously conducted research at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station before joining Virginia Tech.
His career offers students an exciting look at how biology, mathematics, technology, field research, and conservation can all come together to answer important questions about the ocean—and help protect some of its most remarkable animals for future generations.
