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Meet the Team

Meet the Team

Coral reefs are complex ecosystems that face many complex, interrelated challenges that are often unique to each reef. Understanding these systems and addressing the challenges each one faces demands the attention of a motivated, multi-disciplinary team. Behind many of the people listed here is a further list of talented scientists, students, and technicians. If you would like to find a way to get involved, please feel free to email the team.

Amy Apprill

Amy Apprill

Coral reef microbiology 

Dr. Apprill is developing ways to use reef water microorganisms as indicators of ocean and reef health and is testing how microorganisms can be used as probiotics to improve coral and reef health.

Natalie Danek

Natalie Danek

Coral Chemistry & Health

Natalie is developing micronutrient substrates to help reefs increase coral growth and resilience to stressors. 

Brianna Garcia

Brianna Garcia

Coral Health

Dr. Garcia is developing new metabolomics-based health indices for corals and reef ecosystems.

Yogi Girdhar

Yogesh Girdhar

Coral reef robotics & computer science

Dr. Girdhar developed CUREE, an autonomous robot capable of observing and learning coral reef biodiversity and health.

Colleen Hansel

Colleen Hansel

Coral Chemistry & Health

Dr. Hansel develops sensors to measure a suite of chemicals involved in coral health and stress (reactive oxygen species and volatile halogenated organic compounds) and is developing micronutrient supplements to enhance coral growth and immunity.

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Konrad Hughen

Coral Biochemistry

Dr. Hughen's is developing new methods to measure coral stress in the field using the chemical signatures of corals.

Yan Jia

Yan Jia

Reef Physics

Dr. Jia develops high-resolution models of water motions and larval transport in reefs to guide reef experiments and restoration activities.

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Marine (Yaqin) Liu

Coral Reef Policy

Dr. Liu examines human interactions within coral reef ecosystems.

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Matt Long

Coral reef metabolism and chemical fluxes

Dr. Long is developing new instruments that enable real-time measurements of reef growth and metabolism for monitoring the “vital signs” of coral reefs.

Trevor Milliken

Trevor Milliken

Reefs Gone Global & Coral Probiotics

Trevor taking the reef solutions toolkit and approach to reefs worldwide and is developing probiotics to improve coral health and resilience. 

Aran Mooney

Aran Mooney

Reef Sounds and Biodiversity

Dr. Mooney is monitoring reef health and biodiversity using reef soundscapes and is studying how replaying the sounds of healthy reef can enhance reef biodiversity and coral settlement.

Gordon Zhang

Gordon Zhang

Reef Physics

Dr. Zhang measures water motion over coral reefs and develops high-resolution models to study larval transport in reefs and to guide reef experiments and restoration activities.