​David Hastings is a marine scientist and professor with more than 30 years of experience in oceanography, marine chemistry, and climate science. He has built an academic and research career focused on understanding ocean systems, environmental change, and climate processes through both teaching and scientific inquiry. His professional work spans multiple institutions and combines research with education and public engagement. He holds advanced expertise in marine chemistry and oceanography and has contributed to interdisciplinary environmental science across his career.

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Dr. Hastings earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, cum laude, from Princeton University, where he also received departmental honors. He later pursued graduate studies at the University of Washington, earning both a Master of Science and a PhD in Oceanography. His doctoral research culminated in 1994, and he received the Sigma Xi Doctoral Dissertation Award. During this period, he developed strong training in marine chemistry and environmental geochemistry, which formed the foundation for his later work in oceanography, climate science, and marine environmental research.

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Professor Hastings began his professional career in environmental geochemistry at Battelle Columbus Laboratories before transitioning into academic research roles at the University of Washington. He served as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant from 1981 to 1985 and later worked as an Oceanographer III from 1987 to 1990. In these positions, he contributed to oceanographic research and environmental data analysis, building technical expertise in marine chemistry and climate-related systems that supported his later academic and research advancement in ocean sciences.

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Marine scientist David Hastings completed a postdoctoral appointment as a Research Associate in the Earth and Ocean Sciences Department at the University of British Columbia from 1995 to 1999. He also held a Visiting Scholar role in the Department of Earth Sciences at Boston University from 2006 to 2007 and served as a Scholar-in-Residence in Climate Solutions in Seattle in 2013. These appointments expanded his research scope in oceanography, climate systems, and interdisciplinary environmental science across academic and applied settings.

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Professor Hastings joined Eckerd College in 2000 and advanced through the academic ranks from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, and then to Professor of Marine Science and Chemistry by 2012. He also served as department chair and participated in several academic committees focused on curriculum development, environmental affairs, and institutional assessment. Through teaching and leadership, he supported marine science education and interdisciplinary programs linking chemistry, oceanography, and environmental studies, contributing to academic growth and student learning over nearly two decades.

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Dr. Hastings conducts research in marine geochemistry, chemical oceanography, paleoceanography, and climate science, with additional focus on microplastics in marine environments. His work includes applied studies of ocean processes and environmental change, including research on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications throughout his career. His research combines fieldwork and laboratory analysis to better understand ocean chemistry, climate interactions, and environmental impacts across modern and historical marine systems.

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David Hastings Marine Science has secured more than $1.5 million in research funding through approximately 30 grants and received awards including the Robert A. Staub Distinguished Teacher Award (2012), Lloyd Chapin Award for Excellence in Scholarship (2015), recognition as a Science Champion by the Union of Concerned Scientists (2014), and the STEM Catalyst Collaborative Partnerships Award (2013). He served on the Florida Institute of Oceanography Advisory Board (2003–2019), co-convened an AGU session in 2013, delivered more than 50 invited talks, including a keynote at the St. Petersburg March for Science, and met Florida Governor Rick Scott on climate policy. He supports NSF and NASA mentoring, chairs the Sierra Club Suwannee–St. John's chapter, environmental advocacy, and an active outdoor lifestyle in Florida.