Alex Gagnon is a chemical oceanographer. He uses a geochemical approach to study how ocean acidification impacts calcifying organisms, such as corals, and how it impacts biogeochemical cycles more generally. With a focus on chemical mechanism in oceanography, he applies this small-scale understanding to explain global patterns. Operationally, his lab uses a combination of advanced analytical tools like multi-collector plasma source mass spectrometry and NanoSIMS, together with biological culture and modeling.  There is also a field component to many projects including open-water SCUBA, tropical-reef monitoring, and the use of manned or unmanned deep-sea submersibles.