Patrick Krug got his B.A. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University, and Ph.D. in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He has been a professor at Cal State L.A. since 2002, and was recognized with the 2016 Outstanding Professor Award. He is a marine biologist studying wetland ecology in the Pacific Northwest, and global biodiversity in photosynthetic sea slugs. His lab has named over 40 new species working with international collaborators, including one of the Top 10 new marine species of 2019. He has appeared on Discovery Channel and History Channel series about biodiversity discovery, and is a frequent contributor to LA public radio discussing issues in ocean science. His research describing a new genus of slugs that mimic toxic algae was profiled in National Geographic.