Skip to content
USC Wrigley Institute of Oceanography on Catalina Island

CSU Marine Biology Semester on Catalina Island


Fall 2025 Courses Offered

The Fall 2025 CSU Marine Biology Semester will be hosted by California State University, Long Beach. This is an immersive program where each course will be completed individually within 4 weeks.

  • OSI 455: Marine Ecological Processes (4 units):
    • This course provides a discussion of field studies on ecological principles related to marine communities of Catalina Island.
    • Instructor: Dr. Bengt Allen
  • OSI 419: Marine Ichthyology (4 units):
    • A course covering species assemblages, general ecology, and behavioral ecology of the marine fishes of Catalina Island and the surrounding waters.
    • Instructor: Dr. Darren Johnson
  • OSI 425 Marine Phycology (4 units):
    • This course covers the taxonomy, morphology, physiology, and ecology of the major algal groups.
    • Instructor: Dr. Chris Janousek
  • Undergraduate Directed Research (3 units):
    • Students develop their ideas during the first 12 weeks of the semester, prepare a research proposal, complete their studies and present their findings in a mini-symposium and a report.
    • Instructors: Drs. Allen, Johnson & Janousek

About the Professors

Dr. Bengt J. Allen – (Marine Ecological Processes) received his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University in 2007 and has been on the faculty of CSULB since then. His research focuses on causes and consequences of variation in the structure and function of marine communities. 

Dr. Darren Johnson – (Marine Ichthyology) received his Ph.D. from Oregon State University in 2009 and has been on the faculty of CSULB since 2013. His research focuses on  population dynamics and evolutionary ecology of nearshore fishes and invertebrates. 

Dr. Christopher Janousek – (Marine Phycology) received his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego and has been on the faculty of CSULB since 2019 and at Oregon State University since 2017. His research focuses on wetland ecology. 

Fall 2025 Application

Please return in December 2024 for the Fall 2025 CSU Marine Biology Semester Application.

CSU Marine Biology Semester Class Photo 2022
Questions?

Questions can be directed to osi.catalina@gmail.com

Fall 2024 Courses
  • Ecology of Marine Fishes – Dr. Mark Steele
  • Invertebrate Zoology – Dr. Peter Edmunds
  • Marine Ecology – Dr. Casey terHorst
  • Directed Research – Drs. Steele, Edmunds & terHorst