Phil Allman

I am an applied marine ecologist with a primary interest in finding solutions to pressures that negatively impact marine habitats and the organisms that live there. I have worked on projects around the globe (primarily in Africa) to promote methods that simultaneously benefit endangered marine species and human economic endeavors. I collaborate with an international team of scientists dedicated to learning about the marine environment while also making it healthier for or future generations.

“1996 – University of North Carolina, Wilmington, BS Marine Biology
2000 – University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MS Biology
2004 – Organization of Tropical Studie, Field Course
2006 – Ohio University, PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
2007 – US Fulbright Scholar, University of Ghana

Member: IUCN Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group
Member: IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group
Member: The Wildlife Society Coastal and Marine Wildlife Working Group
Member: International Sea Turtle Society

PADI Certified Rescue Diver”

“Botterell, ZLR, J Ardren, E Dove, E McArthur, DS Addison, OM Adegbile, PD Agamboue, A Agyekumhene, P Allman, A Alterman, et al. 2025. A global assessment of microplastic abundance and characteristics on marine turtle nesting beaches. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 215:11778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117768

Ferrera, A, A Formia, C Ciofi, C Natali, A Agyekumhene, and P Allman. 2021. Genetic structure of olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Ghana, West Africa. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 544:151614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151614

Agyekumhene, A, P Yankson, L Stemle, and P Allman. 2021. Sea turtle nesting activity in Ghana, West Africa. Chelonian Conservation and Biology.
https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1487.1

Allman, P, A Agyekumhene, and L Stemle. 2020. Gillnet illumination as an effective measure to reduce sea turtle by-catch. Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13647

Stemle, L., A Agyekumhene, and P Allman. 2019. Occurrence of fibropapillomatosis in Chelonia mydas (green sea turtle) in Ghana. Herpetological Review 50(4): 767.

Allman, P, RM Bowden, J Donini, and I Lezcano. 2019. Year-round plasma steroid hormone profiles and the reproductive ecology of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) at the southernmost edge of their range. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 282.

Alexander, L, A Agyekumhene and P Allman. 2017. The role of taboos and other social customs in the protection and recovery of sea turtles. Frontiers in Marine Science. 4:237.
doi:10.3389/fmars.2017.00237.

Winters, C, J Ross and P Allman. 2017. Population genetics between an insular and coastal population of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southwest Florida. Southeastern Naturalist. 16(3):369-382.
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