CReefs - About CReefs

Field Participants

CReefs First Biodiversity Census at French Frigate Shoals, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

The Scientific Staff at Snug Harbor, Honolulu & NOAA Vessel O. E. Sette

Chief Scientist

Dr. Russell Brainard, CReefs CO-PI

NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Chief

Honolulu, HI

Dr. Russell Brainard, an oceanographer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for over 25 years, serves as co-Principal Investigator of the Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems (CReefs) project of the International Census of Marine Life and is Chief of the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) of NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu. The CRED leads an integrated, multi-disciplinary, ecosystem-based program of research, benthic habitat mapping, and long-term ecological monitoring of the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands to promote conservation and management. read more...

Invertebrate Experts

Scott Godwin
Research Specialist
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
Kaneohe, Hawaii
My professional interests range from aquatic alien species ecology to marine invertebrate taxonomy and biogeography. I began my professional career working on larval and post larval fish and invertebrates in the coral reef habitats in the Bahamas.   read more...

Gustav Paulay
Curator / Professor
Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida

Gustav Paulay was born in land-locked Hungary and emigrated to the US when 17. After a childhood fascination with aquatic life on the shores of Lake Balaton, the "Hungarian Sea", he was excited to begin studies in marine
biology in the US. A fellowship after college allowed him to spend 9 months in South Polynesia, largely on Rapa Island, where he studied a remarkable radiation of endemic, tiny weevils, as well as dwelt into marine invertebrates. Read more...

Joel Martin
Curator of Crustacea and Chief of the Division of Invertebrate Studies
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

A native of Madisonville, Kentucky, and a graduate of Madisonville North Hopkins High, he received his degrees in biology from the University of Kentucky, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), and Florida State University. read more...

Tito Monteiro da Cruz Lotufo
Professor at Instituto de Ciencias do Mar (Marine Sciences Institute)
Universidade Federal do Ceara

I was born in Santos, a coastal city of Southeast Brazil. Since I was a boy, I always loved the sea creatures and when I turned 13 I went to a diving school to learn scuba diving. I was then completely overwhelmed by the diversity of life forms, with so many different shapes and colors.   read more...

Cory Pittman

I first started visiting Hawaii in 1978 with a class under Jerry Flora from WWU in Washington state. Afterward, I kept repeating and “transitioned” from taking the class to helping run it. Since Jerry’s retirement in 1991, I’ve been helping with other mainland classes and doing independent research—mostly based at Camp Olowalu (former Camp Pecusa) on Maui. Read more...

Leslie Harris

Seabird McKeon
PhD Student
Florida Museum of Natural History/University of Florida Department of Zoology

I grew up with sandy feet and spent much of my time exploring outside. After dropping out of college the first time and spending several years hang gliding and surfing, I decided that the science of Natural History was far too exciting, and I needed to go back to school to pursue my education.   read more...

John A. Starmer

Coral Reef Monitoring Biologist

CNMI Coastal Resources Management Office

I have been studying coral reef diversity for over fifteen years-- initially as a student and now additionally as a scientist and resource manager. My interest in coral reefs was sparked by a general interest in natural history that gradually focused on the aquatic realm, with many detours along the way. Read more...

Algae

   Rebecca Most Kris Coontz

Microbes

Emmanuel Irizarry

MSc. Biological Oceanography

(Coral Reef Ecology)

Assist. investigator Dept. of Marine Science

University of Puerto Rico

I was born in Puerto Rico in one of the towns near the Caribbean Sea and since then--my attraction to know more about the marine ecosystems specially coral reefs. My research interest is coral reef ecology more specific in population dynamics, coral reproduction and recruitment. Read more...

Working/Scientific Support Divers

Jim Maragos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

I grew up in Long Beach, California, attended UCLA until 1964, and graduated from UC Riverside in 1966 with a B.A. degree in Zoology. I spent part of my youth on the beaches of southern California, and films by Jacques Cousteau and Rachel Carson inspired my interest in the ocean. Read more...

Brian Zgliczynski, NOAA Divemaster

Brian Zgliczynski received a Master’s degree from the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and currently works as a Research Biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Honolulu, HI. Read more...

Amy Hall

I have been working for NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's Coral Reef Ecosystem Division for the past 4 years as a JIMAR Marine Ecosystems Specialist. Read more...

Elizabeth Keenan

I have been with the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) for five years, and will be a working diver on the Census of Marine Life Cruise. Read more...

Outreach

Andy Collins
Education Coordinator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

I started working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminsitration (NOAA) just after President Clinton created the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve in 2001, and had the honor of visiting the NWHI in 2002, when I led a five person education and documentation team as part of a larger research expedition. read more...

Susan Middleton

Photographer

Award-winning photographer Susan Middleton, former chair of the California Academy of Sciences department of photography (1982-1995), has been “dedicated to the documentation and portraiture of rare and endangered animals, plants, sites, and cultures for the past 30 years, inspired by the earth’s biological and cultural diversity.” In conjunction with National Geographic and the permission of USFWS, she recently co-produced the NWHI “Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World’s Most Remote Island Sanctuary”. Read more...

Data Manager

Russell Moffitt

For more information on participants in the Australia field efforts, click here.

	Scott Godwin Research Specialist Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Kaneohe, Hawaii My professional interests range from aquatic alien species ecology to marine invertebrate taxonomy and biogeography. I began my professional career working on larval and post larval fish and invertebrates in the coral reef habitats in the Bahamas. read more...

	Gustav Paulay Curator / Professor Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida Gustav Paulay was born in land-locked Hungary and emigrated to the US when 17. After a childhood fascination with aquatic life on the shores of Lake Balaton, the "Hungarian Sea", he was excited to begin studies in marine biology in the US. A fellowship after college allowed him to spend 9 months in South Polynesia, largely on Rapa Island, where he studied a remarkable radiation of endemic, tiny weevils, as well as dwelt into marine invertebrates. Read more...

	Joel Martin Curator of Crustacea and Chief of the Division of Invertebrate Studies Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County A native of Madisonville, Kentucky, and a graduate of Madisonville North Hopkins High, he received his degrees in biology from the University of Kentucky, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), and Florida State University. read more...

	Tito Monteiro da Cruz Lotufo Professor at Instituto de Ciencias do Mar (Marine Sciences Institute) Universidade Federal do Ceara I was born in Santos, a coastal city of Southeast Brazil. Since I was a boy, I always loved the sea creatures and when I turned 13 I went to a diving school to learn scuba diving. I was then completely overwhelmed by the diversity of life forms, with so many different shapes and colors. read more...

	Cory Pittman I first started visiting Hawaii in 1978 with a class under Jerry Flora from WWU in Washington state. Afterward, I kept repeating and “transitioned” from taking the class to helping run it. Since Jerry’s retirement in 1991, I’ve been helping with other mainland classes and doing independent research—mostly based at Camp Olowalu (former Camp Pecusa) on Maui. Read more...
	Leslie Harris

	Seabird McKeon PhD Student Florida Museum of Natural History/University of Florida Department of Zoology I grew up with sandy feet and spent much of my time exploring outside. After dropping out of college the first time and spending several years hang gliding and surfing, I decided that the science of Natural History was far too exciting, and I needed to go back to school to pursue my education. read more...

	John A. Starmer Coral Reef Monitoring Biologist CNMI Coastal Resources Management Office I have been studying coral reef diversity for over fifteen years-- initially as a student and now additionally as a scientist and resource manager. My interest in coral reefs was sparked by a general interest in natural history that gradually focused on the aquatic realm, with many detours along the way. Read more...

	Jim Maragos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service I grew up in Long Beach, California, attended UCLA until 1964, and graduated from UC Riverside in 1966 with a B.A. degree in Zoology. I spent part of my youth on the beaches of southern California, and films by Jacques Cousteau and Rachel Carson inspired my interest in the ocean. Read more...

	Brian Zgliczynski, NOAA Divemaster Brian Zgliczynski received a Master’s degree from the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and currently works as a Research Biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Honolulu, HI. Read more...

	Amy Hall I have been working for NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's Coral Reef Ecosystem Division for the past 4 years as a JIMAR Marine Ecosystems Specialist. Read more...

	Elizabeth Keenan I have been with the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) for five years, and will be a working diver on the Census of Marine Life Cruise. Read more...