About

Doctor of Philosophy in Biological and Environmental Sciences

University of Rhode Island (Kingston, USA)

• Advisor: Dr. Hollie Putnam

• Thesis:  Mechanisms and consequences of cross-generational acclimatization in reef-building corals.

• Graduation Date: August 2022

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Minor in Biology

Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada)

• Advisors: Dr. Nigel Waltho and Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley 

• Thesis: Evidence of reproductive plasticity of Porites astreoides across a depth gradient in Bermuda.

• Graduation Date: May 2016

PEER-REVIEWED 

4. Scucchia, F., Wong, K.H., Zaslansky, P., Putnam, H.M., Goodbody-Gringley, G., Mass, T. (2023) Genetic and morphological similarities between shallow and mesophotic Porites astreoides corals support the Deep Reef Refugia Hypothesis for this species in Bermuda. Journal of Structural Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2023.108036 

3. Wong, K.H, & Putnam, H.M. (2022). The genome of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides. Gigabyte. https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.65 

2. Wong, K.H., Goodbody-Gringley, G., de Putron, S.J., Becker, D., Chequer, A. & Putnam, H.M. (2021). Brooded coral offspring depends on the combined effects of parental press and pulse thermal history. Global Change Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15629

1. Goodbody-Gringley, G., Wong, K.H., Becker, D., Glennon, K. & de Putron, S.J. (2018). Reproductive ecology and early life history traits of the brooding coral, Porites astreoides, from shallow to mesophotic zones. Coral Reefs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-018-1673-2 

IN REVIEW

Huffmyer, A.S., Wong, K.H., Becker, D.M. & Putnam, H.M. Metabolic and symbiotic shifts across early life history development in the reef-building coral Montipora capitata. In review at PLOS Biology.

Strand, E.L., Wong, K.H., Farraj, A., Gray, S., McMenamin, A., Putnam, H.M. Coral species-specific loss and physiological legacy effects are elicited by extended marine heatwave and projected ocean acidification conditions. In review at Global Change Biology.

IN PREPARATION

Wong, K.H., Goodbody-Gringley, G., de Putron, S.J. & Putnam, H.M. Multi-omic analysis of coral bleaching phenotypes under thermal stress. Planned submission December 2023.

Ju, R., Wong, K.H., Putnam, H.M., de Putron, S.J. & Goodbody-Gringley, G. Developmental acclimation of Porites astreoides larvae enhances thermal performance. Planned Submission Decemeber 2023.

Wong, K.H., Goodbody-Gringley, G., de Putron, S.J. & Putnam, H.M. Epigenetic underpinnings of environmental memory within and across generations in a reef-building coral. Planned submission May 2024.

University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science

• Postdoctoral Researcher with Dr. Nikki Traylor-Knowles (2022-Present)

University of Rhode Island, Department of Biology

• Graduate Research Assistant with Dr. Hollie Putnam (2017-2022)

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

• Graduate Research Intern with Dr. Samantha de Putron and Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley (2017)

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

• BIOS Research Intern with Dr. Samantha de Putron and Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley (2016)

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

• BIOS Research Intern with Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley (2015)

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

• Canadian Associates on BIOS Research Intern with Dr. Samantha de Putron (2014)

Teaching Assistant

Marine Environmental Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island (Spring 2020, 2021, & 2022)

Coral Reef Ecology, Bermuda Insitute of Ocean Sciences (Summer 2016, Fall 2016, & Summer 2017)

Marine Biology and Oceanographic Research, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (Fall 2016) 

Oceans and Human Health, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (Summer 2016)

Earth Resources and Natural Hazards, Carleton University (Spring 2015 & Fall 2015)

Guest Lecturer

Coral Reefs, Carleton University (Spring 2022, 2023)

Salt Water Semester, University of Miami (Fall 2022)

Undergraduate Seminar in Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island (Spring 2021 & 2022)

Invertebrate Zoology, University of Rhode Island (Spring 2020 & 2021)

Global Journeys, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (Summer 2017, 2018, & 2019)

Howard Community College, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (Summer 2017 & 2018)

SPCA Day Camp, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (8x, Summer 2016)

Oral Presentations

Wong, K.H.*, Becker, D.M., de Putron, S.J., Goodbody-Gringley, G., & Putnam, H. Latent effects of thermal stress on the reproductive ecology and offspring physiology in the tropical brooding coral, Porites astreoides. Benthic Ecology Meeting, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

Wong, K.H.*, Mitrovic, J., Zhang, Y., Goodbody-Gringley, G., de Putron, S., & Putnam, H. Trade-offs between acclimatization to thermal disturbances and reproduction in Porites astreoides. European Coral Reef Symposium, Oxford, England.

Goodbody-Gringley, G.*, Wong, K.H., Becker, D.M., Glennon, K., & de Putron, S. Reproductive ecology and early life history traits of the brooding coral, Porites astreoides, from shallow to mesophotic zones. European Coral Reef Symposium, Oxford, England.

Poster Presentations

Wong, K.H., Goodbody-Gringley, G., de Putron, S.J., & Putnam, H.M*. The role of DNA methylation in environmental memory within and across generations in Porites astreoides. Epigenetics in Marine Biology Congress, Woods Hole, MA, USA. (2022)

Ju, R.*, Wong, K.H., Putnam, H., & Goodbody-Gringley, G. Effects of parental heat stress on the larval thermal performance of Porites astreoides, a brooding coral. Ocean Sciences Meeting, San Diego, CA, USA. (2020)

Wong, K.H.*, Reich, H.G., Waltho, N., & Goodbody-Gringley, G. Evidence of reproductive plasticity of Porites astreoides at different depths in Bermuda. International Coral Reef Symposium, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. (2016)

de Putron, S.J., Thomas, M.S.*, & Wong, K.H. Differential effects of light and feeding on new recruits of Porites astreoides from two reef sites within Bermuda. International Coral Reef Symposium, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. (2016)

Wong, K.H.*, Reich, H.G., Waltho, N., & Goodbody-Gringley, G. Comparing planulation patterns and the reproductive fitness of the brooding coral, Porites astreoides, at different depths in Bermuda. Carleton University Undergraduate Poster Day, Ottawa, ON, Canada. (2016) ^Best Poster

Wong, K.H.*, Reich, H.G., & Goodbody-Gringley, G. Comparing planulation patterns and the reproductive fitness of the brooding coral, Porites astreoides, at different depths in Bermuda. Benthic Ecology Meeting, Portland. (2016)

*indicates presenter 

Mentoring

Gabriela Hage, University of Miami Undergraduate (2022-2023)

Ellyn Darke, University of Miami Undergraduate (2022-2023)

Anna Mcmenamin, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2019)

Alexa Farraj, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2019)

Rebecca Ju, Yale University Undergraduate (2019)

Brianna Simmons, Bermuda Program Intern (2019)

Evan Ernst, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2019)

Kiran Reed, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2019)

Madeleine Sherman, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2019)

Erin Chille, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2019)

Erin Bowman, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2018)

Max Zavell, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate (2018)

Jessica Godfrey, Bermuda Program Intern (2018)

Amy Amataya, Princeton University Undergraduate (2018)

Valeria Schmidt, Princeton University Undergraduate (2017)

Yingqi Zhang, Colgate University Undergraduate (2017)

Jamie Mitrovic, New York University Undergraduate (2017)

Keegan Glennon, University of Rhode Island Undergraduate, REU (2016)

Danielle Becker, Eckerd University Undergraduate (2016)

Member:

International Society for Reef Studies (2016-Present)

Benthic Ecology Society (2016-Present)

Reviewer:

Journal of Experimental Biology (2021), Global Change Biology (2021)

Outreach and Sci-Comm:

VIS-A-THON (2022) https://vis-a-thon.org/the-unseen-stress 

Southridge ASK Mentorship Program (2021-2023)

The Ocean Scientist Is In program at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, RI, USA (2021)

Volvo Ocean Race, Newport, RI, USA (2018)

Graduate School of Oceanography Open House, Narragansett, RI, USA (2017)

Mental Health First Aid (2022)

O2 Administration (2019)

Emergency First Aid (2019)

TDI Nitrox Diver (2018)

PADI Rescue Diver (2016)

Environmental Professional in Training (EPt) (2016)                  

AAUS (American Academy of Underwater Science) Diver (2014)

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (2014)

Wilderness First Aid (2014)

PADI Open Water and Dry Suit Certification (2013)

National Lifeguarding Service (NLS) (2010)

Water Safety Instructor Certificate (WSI) (2010)

Standard First Aid (2010)