Erik Cordes, professor and chair of the Department of Biology at Temple University, was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on Mar. 26. The AAAS is one of the world’s most respected scientific organizations, and being named a fellow is considered a distinguished lifetime honor.
The recognition highlights Cordes’ decades-long work exploring and protecting deep ocean habitats. The deep ocean covers about 60% of Earth’s surface but remains largely unexplored. Scientists have mapped only about 30% of its expanse, leaving much unknown compared to other planetary bodies.
Cordes said he was surprised by the announcement: “It’s hard to fathom, honestly,” he said. “It’s a rare honor, and it’s something that I’m really proud of.” He added that seeing his conservation work acknowledged was particularly meaningful: “It was nice to see the conservation work acknowledged, because that’s something that isn’t always appreciated,” Cordes said. “It’s not something you can quantify, but it does take a lot of effort and time. And it’s not something that everyone does.”
According to AAAS in their statement announcing his fellowship, Cordes was recognized for contributions to deep-sea coral ecology, conservation policies managing human impact and ecosystem services, as well as creative public engagement with ocean science.
Cordes joins an esteemed group as Temple University’s sixth AAAS Fellow alongside colleagues such as Jody Hey; Michael L. Klein; Sudhir Kumar; Nora S. Newcombe; and Xiaoxing Xi. Reflecting on this achievement he said: “To be in the company of those scientists, both historically and present day, is really gratifying.”
Cordes has led teams discovering major coral reefs off both North America and Argentina—some among the largest known deep-ocean reef systems globally—and pioneered restoration methods following environmental disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
He emphasized growing threats from industrial activities in unexplored waters: “When we have the chance to explore and understand the communities there, it’s important that we do,” he said. “Then we can use that information to advance our conservation goals and make sure we protect these more sensitive habitats that don’t really have another advocate.”
Cordes will be formally welcomed during an annual Fellows Forum in Washington D.C., where he hopes this recognition will promote further efforts toward conserving deep-ocean environments.
