Alex Carbaugh-Rutland has never seen science and law as separate worlds. A third-year student at the University of Miami School of Law and a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Sciences, Carbaugh-Rutland is building a career at the intersection of marine science and environmental law and policy—where some of the most pressing conservation challenges are decided.
With a B.S. in zoology from Oregon State University and a master’s degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston, Carbaugh-Rutland entered graduate study at the University of Miami as a whale biologist. While working on his master’s thesis, he started to notice a common and troubling gap in marine conservation: too few scientists understood the law, and too few lawyers and policymakers understood the science.
“I decided I wanted to understand both,” Carbaugh-Rutland said. “Science and the law.”
Choosing a Joint Degree Program
That realization ultimately led him to the University of Miami School of Law’s joint J.D./Ph.D. program in Environmental Science and Policy, one of the few programs in the country designed to train in both disciplines. He entered the Ph.D. program at the Rosenstiel School first in fall 2021, balancing research and teaching obligations while studying for the LSAT. In fall 2023, he officially began at the School of Law.
“That joint program was, to me, a pathway to accomplish that goal,” he said. “It has enabled me to continue developing my expertise as a marine scientist whilst also building proficiency in the law.”
Carbaugh-Rutland’s doctoral research exemplifies that interdisciplinary approach. His Ph.D. examines the management of Rice’s whale (an endangered baleen whale), using it as a case study to explore how federal wildlife conservation laws operate in practice. Using both scientific and legal research methods, his work examines how principles of conservation biology are incorporated into major environmental statutes, including the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
That research has already had significant scholarly impact. Carbaugh-Rutland has published in both scientific and legal journals, including a Stanford Law Review article that originated as the first chapter of his dissertation. “I came up with the topic before I started my 1L year,” he said. “I wanted to use my background as a whale biologist to serve as a jumping point for understanding environmental law. So, I came up with a simple research question: How do we use the law to protect and conserve whales, and how does that approach square with what we know about conservation ecology?”
Professor Jessica Owley played a key mentoring role in that process, reviewing early drafts and guiding Carbaugh-Rutland through the conventions of legal scholarship. She also introduced him to foundational principles of administrative and environmental law, offering crucial support as he bridged the gap between scientific research and legal analysis.
Environmental Advocacy via the UN
Carbaugh-Rutland also represented the University of Miami on the global stage as a student participant at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (COP30) in Brazil. The law school’s Environmental Law Program gives students the opportunity to advocate for climate action and attend the United Nations COP Climate Change Conferences. The annual summit brings together heads of state, government ministers, scientists, lawyers, and advocates from around the world to negotiate international climate agreements.
For Carbaugh-Rutland, the experience was transformative. “The highlight was simply being in the room where it happens,” he said.
As support staff for Small Island Developing States, University of Miami students were granted rare negotiator badges, allowing them direct access to negotiations. Carbaugh-Rutland worked with the Federated States of Micronesia, attending sessions focused on climate adaptation for the vulnerable nation.
“Seeing how climate agreements move from abstract ideas to negotiated text was invaluably informative,” he said. “It gave me a lot of perspective on the topic of international climate and environmental negotiations.”
Beyond the classroom, Carbaugh-Rutland has gained hands-on judicial experience. In 2025, he interned for Chief United States Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, gaining insight into federal judicial practice.
As Carbaugh-Rutland looks ahead, his path underscores the power of interdisciplinary education to address complex global challenges. By combining rigorous science with legal training, he is preparing for a career devoted to translating knowledge into effective policy and ensuring that conservation decisions are grounded in science and the law.
In a world where environmental outcomes are often shaped in courtrooms and negotiating rooms alike, Carbaugh-Rutland stands ready to operate in both.
Read more about the School of Law's environmental law area of study.
