"We need to protect our oceans as if our lives depend on it–because they do." --Sylvia Earle
It is estimated that the oceans took ten million years to be filled with rainwater, ten thousand years for coral larvae to turn into vibrant reefs, and one thousand years for a parcel of water to be fully circulated around the globe... five hundred years for a plastic bottle to decompose in the ocean, one decade for the collapse of an economically viable fish stock, and one year to destroy an area of natural seabed twice the size of the United States.
With the oceans being the world’s last frontier and a driver for climate, biodiversity, abundance, economy, and culture, it is about time that we live to conserve and sustain its vital resources. The ocean is truly the blue heart of the planet, without which nothing can survive. Patrick graduated with a BS, double majoring in Marine Science and Biology, from the University of Miami where he worked with the invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.) and the molecular ecology of corals under climate change. Patrick graduated with his MS degree from the Marine Biology Graduate Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is currently a PhD candidate, focusing on environmental DNA (eDNA) and the conservation of Hawaiian coral reef ecosystems. His primary research uses eDNA from water samples to survey shallow and deep coral reefs, tracking changes in community structuring, the effects of climate change, and the spread of invasive species. Patrick's research helps inform management initiatives associated with coral reefs and he is constantly thinking of new approaches to age-old ecological questions in community ecology. With both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Marine Biology, Patrick is passionate about scientific education, outreach, and relevant research. Patrick is also a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT), TDI tech diver, and scientific diver in accordance with AAUS. EDUCATION
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa- PhD Candidate - Zoology (current) University of Hawai'i at Mānoa- MS - Marine Biology University of Miami - BS - Marine Science & Biology |