Colin Howe

Hello, my name is Colin Howe. I received my Bachelors of Science in Biology at Old Dominion University in Virginia. I started my marine science career as an intern for ODU in the Florida Keys studying lobsters, then switched to studying lionfish and teaching fish identification skills with Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) in Key Largo. Following my internship at REEF, I spent eight months as a teaching and research assistant for the Council of International Education Exchange (CIEE) in Bonaire. I spent most of my time teaching, conducting research and diving as much as possible. I earned my co-authorship on a publication monitoring diver impacts on coral reefs and that opportunity sparked my interest in coral ecology. I moved to St. Thomas to start my masters at the University of the Virgin Islands. Through the program I’ve been trained on technical diving procedures which allows me to participate with research on the unique mesophotic coral reef ecosystem found in St. Thomas. For my thesis, I am interested in studying the resilience and adaptability of Acropora prolifera on varying substrates shaped by environmental and ecological conditions. St. Thomas is an ideal location to study A. prolifera, track the occurrence of new colonies and attempt to identify why A. prolifera recruits at certain locations. I can’t wait to get started!