James (Jim) DelBene is a PhD student at FSES, studying socio-cultural values and their integration in coastal and marine decision-making. 

James is interested in addressing complex environmental issues through relationship building and data analysis, synthesizing stakeholder priorities and using the best available science to inform critical thinking and decision-making. Throughout his career, he has worked as a shark biology intern, environmental consultant for the oil and gas industry, NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the US Senate, and NOAA contractor supporting decision-making on NOAA's observing systems. 

He completed his M.S. in Marine Science with a Sub-concentration in Marine Policy at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at William and Mary (Gloucester Point, VA, US), where he worked with commercial crabbers and state resource managers to address the issue of lost and abandoned fishing gear in Chesapeake Bay. He also holds a B.S. in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry from Hope College (Holland, MI, US).