I have been fortunate in my 20+ years in coral reef research to have received funding from a number of entities in both the public (e.g., National Science Foundation of the United States) and private (e.g., Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation) sectors. Working at remote field sites is inherently expensive, and none of this work would have been possible without these generous contributions. Thanks also to JMP, who despite not having ever paid my salary, has supported my research as much as anyone.

Check out this document I’ve been working on on who’s funding coral reef research, conservation, and restoration, as well as who are the major players in this sphere. It’s far from complete, so feel free to email me for updates.

Research awards

(30) Amazon AWS IMAGINE grant. under review. $200,000 to grow machine-learning- and AI-driven coral reef conservation+ restoration decision-support products on coralreefdiagnostics.com.

(29) CORDAP AI decision-support tender. under review. $800,000 to grow “Pepo the Polyp” platform with MesoReefDAO and Bonfires.AI

(28) CORDAP AI decision-support tender. under review. $1,500,000 to develop web-based machine-learning and AI tools to advance coral reef conservation+restoration with CoralX AI.

(27) Taiwan-Philippines collaborative grants program. under review. $20,000 to test AI-driven decision support models for optimizing coral reef conservation in the Coral Triangle.

(26) WWF-GEF “Heart of Conservation” Initiative. under review. $1.5 million to take a “ridge-to- reef” approach to climate-proof Sri Lankan cloud forests, mangrove habitats, and coral reefs.

(25) United States Fulbright Program. $20,000 to conduct a nature-based solutions project to improve coral reef resilience in Sri Lanka.

(24) Mote Marine Laboratory “Protect our Reefs” coral reef restoration grant (co-PI with Cliff Ross). $18,000 to elucidate the molecular basis of coral climate resilience.

(23) Mote Marine Laboratory Seagrass Initiative. $10,000 for bioinformatic support for Dr. Jimmy Nelson and Cliff Ross’ project “Testing variation in stress tolerance and restoration potential of Florida seagrass subpopulations.”

(22) United States Department of State Fulbright Program. $55,000 to take a data science approach to conserving reefs of the Coral Triangle.

(21) Mote Marine Laboratory “Protect our Reefs” coral reef restoration grant (co-PI with Cliff Ross). $16,000 to examine the resilience of nursery-reared acroporid corals.

(20) NOAA Task III (co-PI w/Derek Manzello & Carly Kenkel). $92,239 to study heat resistant larvae of the endangered coral Orbicella faveolata from patch reefs of the Florida Keys.

(19) National Marine Fisheries Service (US Dept. Commerce; Co-PI w/ Dr. Michael Studivan). $100,000 to study the molecular basis of coral thermotolerance in marginal environments.

(18) NOAA Task III (co-PI w/Derek Manzello & Carly Kenkel). $50,000 to study heat resistant larvae of the endangered coral Orbicella faveolata from patch reefs of the Florida Keys.

(17) Fulbright Global Scholar program (US Department of State)-Feb. 2019. $50,000 to develop a “coral stress test” in Taiwan to be employed in the field in the Philippines.

(16) “AI for Earth” grant (Microsoft)-Apr. 2019. $15,000 to develop “big data” analytical tools geared towards using artificial intelligence to conserve coral reefs.

(15) US National Research Council-Sept. 2018. $164,000 to work at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (NOAA; Miami, FL) on the development of a “coral stress test.”

(14) Japan Society for the Promotion of Science-Apr. 2015. $114,000 to conduct Japan-based coral reef research, with an emphasis on global climate change. Co-PI=Dr. Saki Harii.

(13) Living Oceans Foundation-Nov. 2012. $300,000 to conduct biomarker-based coral reef surveys.

(12) NSF MCR-LTER-Feb. 2010. $14,000 to study the impacts of ocean acidification on coral health.

(11) PADI Project Aware-Jun. 2009. $1,200 for Taiwan-based research on the coral stress response.

(10) NSF International Postdoctoral Fellowship- Jun. 2009. $126,500 for Taiwan coral research.

(9) Company of Biologists travel fellowship- Sept. 2008. $1,800 for Taiwan-based coral research.

(8) NSF EAPSI Fellowship- May 2008. $7,500 for Taiwan-based coral reef research.

(7) Edmondson Fund- Apr. 2008. $900 for coral osmoregulation research.

(6) PADI Project Aware- Mar. 2008. $1,000 for coral gene expression normalization study.

(5) PADI Foundation- Apr. 2007. $4,000 for coral gene expression normalization study.

(4) Edmondson Fund- Dec. 2006. $800 for coral stress gene transcription experiments.

(3) PADI Project Aware- Nov. 2006. $1,400 for gene expression experiments on corals.

(2) NSF small travel grant- Sept. 2006. $1,000 for collaborative visit.

(1) NSF Graduate Research Fellowship- Spring 2004. $121,500 for graduate research.