Dr. Fei Chai  (柴扉) is a professor in the School of Marine Sciences and Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine. He received his Ph.D. degree in oceanography from Duke University in 1995. Dr. Chai studies how physical and biological processes contribute to the carbon cycle, how the biological pump transfers carbon into the deep ocean, and how climate variability affect marine ecosystems.

Dr. Chai is an expert in developing and testing physical-biological models, and using the models along with observational data to address key regional and global issues and questions. Much of his work has been interdisciplinary, emphasizing physical,  biogeochemical processes in the ocean and ecosystem dynamics. Dr. Chai teaches oceanography and climate change related courses at the University of Maine. He serves as committee member for several international scientific organizations and programs, prompting interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects.