Selena Johnson

It seems like it was only yesterday that I was standing on the dive platform, clipboard and quadrat in hand, eager to conduct my very first coral reef survey for FWC. At the time (almost 20 years ago), I barely had ten dives under my belt and there I was jumping into fifty feet of water with a ripping current carrying fifty pounds of gear. “Green” doesn't quite do my level of naivety justice. I had no idea how difficult that day in the field would be. I lost my clipboard and nearly floated away to Cuba in the current, but nonetheless that was the day I fell in love with coral reef research. The reefs were the most majestic thing I had ever seen and in that moment I decided to use everything I learned to help protect these valuable resources.

Now I am pursuing a Ph. D. in Biological Oceanography at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science with research focused on none other than...coral reefs! More specifically my research interests are focused around the physiology and ecology of Caribbean gorgonians.

When I am not being a student myself I teach various courses for the university. I also work closely with many public high school teachers to develop inquiry-based science curricula.

June 2016