About Me

You can view my blogger profile for a summary, but in case you want to know more, I'm a marine biologist who focuses on coral reef biogeography, meaning that I study how similar organisms are from one reef to another.

Professional Summary

I've been living mostly overseas since 1996 and have research experience in the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, and the Maldives. I have personal experience diving on reefs also in the Red Sea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysian Borneo, the Florida Keys, the Great Barrier Reef, and New Zealand. I am also interested in desert environments and have limited experience working in the Algodones Dunes of the Colorado Sub-Basin near the Arizona-California-Mexico border.

I have a wide variety of marine biology experience, with specializations in coastal shallow-water coral reef environments, algae, biogeography and connectivity networks of ecological systems related to coral reefs, reef and coastal biogeochemistry, closed-system modeling of coral reef ecosystems (aquariums & microcosms), human-aquatic interactions, sea turtle conservation, and anthropogenic impacts on oceanic environments. I also have experience with terrestrial desert environments and direct experience collecting and analyzing data for enforcing the Endangered Species Act (USA). I am comfortable with basic computer programming and also have limited ecological modeling experience, as well as experience leading and aiding project management, research, fieldwork, and report and proposal writing / editing. I have extensive public speaking experience, including with international journalism, television, magazine, and radio programs.

Expertise

Global biogeography of marine algae (8 years)

Closed-system marine aquaria (21 years)

Marine field work (14 years)

Desert field work (0.5 years)

Management experience (6 years: 1 year business related, 4.5 years marine related, 0.5 years terrestrial desert ecology related)

Sea Turtle conservation (3 years)

Education

BSc Zoology (1999) University of Hawaii-Manoa, USA

BSc minors Marine Science, Geography (1999) University of Hawaii-Manoa, USA

Graduate Certificate Maritime Archaelogy & History (2000) University of Hawaii-Manoa, USA

MSc Biology (2007) University of Guam Marine Laboratory

Awards & Grants

* 2008. National Geographic and Ashoka’s Changemakers Geotourism Challenge. Finalist (Banyan Tree Maldives Marine Lab chosen as 1 of 15 finalists from over 700 nominations and 480 applications worldwide; writer of award application; manager of organization at time of award).

* 2007. Islands Magazine Hot 100: Leaders in Responsible Tourism. Finalist (Banyan Tree Maldives Marine Lab chosen as 1 of 100 leaders in responsible tourism worldwide; writer of award application; manager of organization at time of award).

* 1999-2000. Research Fellow (NASA Space Grant College, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology (SOEST), Hawaii USA). Supervisor: Dr. Marlin Atkinson. $6000 stipend for a project analyzing reflectance spectra and pigments of corals for use in satellite remote sensing.

* 1997-1999. Three-time recipient Dean’s List for academic excellence, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Hawaii USA.

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in learning more about me professionally or would like a copy of my CV or knowledge of specific skill-sets.


Social Networking
My professional profile with full work history is at LinkedIn. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in learning more about me professionally or would like a copy of my CV or knowledge of specific skill-sets.