Robert A. Andersen
180 McKown Point Road
West Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575-0475
U.S.A.
Education
- B.S., Botany, North Dakota State University, 1970
- M.A., Aquatic Biology, St. Cloud State College, 1972
- Ph.D., Botany/Phycology, University of Arkansas, 1981
Research Interests
Dr. Andersen is interested in algal systematics, especially heterokont marine phytoplankton. His work has led to the descriptions of four new classes of algae, as well as descriptions of new families, genera, and species. Currently, he is the lead Principal Investigator on an Assembling the Tree of Life grant to establish the evolutionary relationships of heterokont algae. This research uses the chloroplast genomes from 30 species and a seven-gene suite from 300 species; the genomes and sequences will be used in molecular phylogenetic analyses. Dr. Andersen also studies algae using transmission and scanning electron microscopy. He is the Director of the Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Culture of Marine Phytoplankton (CCMP). The CCMP distributes over 3000 cultures each year to scientists around the world.