About the blogger

Hello everyone!

My name is Keisha and I currently a PhD student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the Coral Reef Ecology Lab at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. 

I grew up in a small town, Ashland Ohio, where I grew interest in the ocean while attending high school. While in high school, I participated in extra curricular activities to allow me to spend a week in Key Largo, Florida. This marine lab changed my life. Check out their site marinelab.org. After graduating high school, I decided it was time to move to Florida and pursue my dreams of studying marine biology. My first 3 years of my undergraduate career I spend at the University of South Florida, where I studied Environmental Science and Policy. After completing most of my coursework, I transferred to the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) to complete my undergraduate training in Marine Biology. 

During my attendance at UHM, I participated in a Marine Biology Field course which focused on NOAA Species of Concerns: Montipora dilatata and Lingula reevii. Along with studying these interesting animals, I made some life long friends and learned the importance of conserving our marine ecosystems. 

My research interests focus on the effects of anthropogenic stressors on coral reef ecology, particularly the physiological response of corals. Currently, I am examining the interactions between the main components of temperature, ocean acidification, and solar irradiance on coral calcification. 

Along with my research, I am a Teaching Assistant at UHM. I currently teach Ecology and Evolution and Cellular and Molecular Biology. Also, this summer I will be teaching the Field Problems in Marine Biology course. 

Mahalo for all the support I receive from my family and friends, research funding agencies, and from my supportive mentors and lab mates.