I’m Raphaël Savelli. I live in Los Angeles, where I lead ocean research projects by day—and obsess over bad movies by night.

I’m an ocean scientist with a love for messy data and even messier movies. During the day, I track carbon through ecosystems to uncover the hidden plotlines of Earth’s climate. At night, I watch B-movies where the stakes are high, the science is questionable, and the monsters are delightfully fake.

Currently, I’m a Research Associate at San José State University, focused on land-to-ocean lateral fluxes of carbon. I build data-model frameworks to inform climate policy, resilience strategies, and emerging carbon dioxide removal technologies to avoid a future that looks like a disastrous disaster movie.

My background is an unexpected double feature: science and business management. That combo helps me thrive across sectors and navigate complex problems like a hero in a low-budget space opera—resourceful, creative, and probably covered in metaphorical goo.

I also have a strong creative streak and a deep appreciation for art and design—whether it’s in a beautifully crafted scientific figure or a clean, impactful layout. I enjoy producing data visualizations that don’t just inform, but resonate. A well-designed plot, like a good movie poster, can hook you before you even read the title.

I grew up in rural France, where my love for nature began in the woods and my love for sci-fi began in front of my grandma’s flickering TV screen. I carry both with me: curiosity about the natural world, and a sense of humor about the human one.

If you like the carbon cycle, climate solutions, and movies where someone definitely yells “We’ve lost control of the experiment!” —we’ll get along great.