Dr. Jacobs is a life-long resident of Maryland where he
developed his passion for the outdoors and the
Chesapeake Bay. He began his career working for
the US Fish and Wildlife Service Chesapeake Bay Office,
and subsequently as a Chesapeake Research Consortium
intern for the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. He received
his Bachelors degree from St. Mary’s College of
Maryland, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Fisheries from
University of Maryland, at the UMCES Horn Point
Laboratory. While initially focused on Striped Bass
aquaculture and disease dynamics in the wild fishery in
the Chesapeake, his research gradually shifted to
address coastal pathogens in recreational waters and
shellfish. By establishing strong partnerships at the federal and state level, John led the establishment
and development of NOAA’s national scale program in Pathogen Forecasting. John is dedicated to
developing the next generation of scientists, and continuously works with local academic institutions in
serving as a research advisor and mentor at the Graduate level. After nearly 20 years as a team lead and
researcher for NOAA at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, he is looking forward to continuing to bring
NOAA science to our communities, the Chesapeake Bay, and the nation in his new role as Director.