Kyra Jean Cipolla

My Filipino ancestry and strong connection to the ocean are what define me. They motivate me to study, understand, and help conserve one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world: coral reefs. My PhD research topic examines the relationship between coral reef structural complexity, biodiversity, and functioning. I currently conduct fieldwork in two reef systems: Long Reef on the Belizean Barrier Reef and Lizard Island reefs, part of the Northern Great Barrier Reef. I am a PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute in the Fish and Functions Lab.

June 2024