Some say that I embody the enigmatic name, Hope. So, picture entering 2030, when coral reefs once again flourish. Colorful reef fish swim around as a female octopus peeks out of her den, looking up to see a gigantic blue whale swimming over her. The reefs, once again, serve as a strong barrier, protecting coastal communities from the powerful forces of nature. Such a vision propels my work today and pushes me to embody the name of manifestation, Hope. Together, we can promote a world in which restored ecosystems are more than a myth but a living, flourishing reality. My name is Hope Wilson, and I am a PhD candidate at Nova Southeastern University’s Halmos College of Oceanography and Marine Biology, home to the National Coral Reef Institute. A globally recognized leader in coral reef research across Florida, the Caribbean, and beyond. With more than 5 years of hands-on experience in coral reef restoration and ecology, I have developed expertise through extensive fieldwork. My path started in 2017 as an undergraduate honors student attending Central Methodist University. During the winter of 2019, I began an internship with the Bay Island Reef Restoration Program, located in Roatán, Honduras. This would be where I first explored the underwater world. Throughout my internship, I completed a thesis on how water quality, temperature, and light affect coral growth and survival in coral nurseries. During my internship, I noticed many dead and/or dying corals on the reef. I would hear stories from the older dive masters about what the reefs used to be like. This motivated me to follow a career in this declining alien world. After my internship in 2019, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology in 2020, then joined NSU’s Master’s Program under Dr. David Gilliam at the Coral Reef Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Lab (CRRAM), completing my Master of Professional Science degree in 2023. I then joined the lab professionally, serving as a Research Associate II. During this time, I logged over 900 dives as an AAUS scientific diver and 90+ days as a boat captain. I collaborated with SECORE International to document the first spawning events of three coral species in Florida and Broward County. I led grant-funded field projects and conducted coral health and demographic surveys. The fun did not stop there; I developed underwater photogrammetry protocols using Agisoft Metashape and Taglab. I have trained over 20 students in photogrammetry, participated in several restoration outreach events, and presented at major conferences, including the International Coral Reef Symposium and Reef Futures. Currently, I am pursuing my PhD under Dr. Joshua Feingold, whose 30 + years of extensive Galápagos research have documented the dramatic decline and recovery of Pocillopora (a keystone coral species) following the 1982–83 ENSO event. Interestingly, Dr. Feingold has documented possible species shifts and possible hybrid morphologies not observed before the 1982-1983 ENSO event. My dissertation studies the resilience and recovery capacity of Pocillopora corals in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Galápagos. Building on my Florida fieldwork experience, I will use photomosaics and demographic assessments, RAD-seq/SNP analyses to examine connectivity, dispersal, hybridization, and the adaptive potential of these corals, thereby identifying resilient restoration sources. With this expertise under my belt, I am motivated to apply these abilities to advance my dissertation research and contribute to the field of coral reef ecology and restoration. The Boston Reefers Scholarship would deliver vital support by helping me to cover my educational costs. This investment will not only help defend these key ecosystems but also allow me to provide guidance and hope to the upcoming cohort of marine stewards.

Some say that I embody the enigmatic name, Hope. So, picture entering 2030, when coral reefs once again flourish. Colorful reef fish swim around as a female octopus peeks out of her den, looking up to see a gigantic blue whale swimming over her. The reefs, once again, serve as a strong barrier, protecting coastal communities from the powerful forces of nature. Such a vision propels my work today and pushes me to embody the name of manifestation, Hope. Together, we can promote a world in which restored ecosystems are more than a myth but a living, flourishing reality. My name is Hope Wilson, and I am a PhD candidate at Nova Southeastern University’s Halmos College of Oceanography and Marine Biology, home to the National Coral Reef Institute. A globally recognized leader in coral reef research across Florida, the Caribbean, and beyond. With more than 5 years of hands-on experience in coral reef restoration and ecology, I have developed expertise through extensive fieldwork. My path started in 2017 as an undergraduate honors student attending Central Methodist University. During the winter of 2019, I began an internship with the Bay Island Reef Restoration Program, located in Roatán, Honduras. This would be where I first explored the underwater world. Throughout my internship, I completed a thesis on how water quality, temperature, and light affect coral growth and survival in coral nurseries. During my internship, I noticed many dead and/or dying corals on the reef. I would hear stories from the older dive masters about what the reefs used to be like. This motivated me to follow a career in this declining alien world. After my internship in 2019, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology in 2020, then joined NSU’s Master’s Program under Dr. David Gilliam at the Coral Reef Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Lab (CRRAM), completing my Master of Professional Science degree in 2023. I then joined the lab professionally, serving as a Research Associate II. During this time, I logged over 900 dives as an AAUS scientific diver and 90+ days as a boat captain. I collaborated with SECORE International to document the first spawning events of three coral species in Florida and Broward County. I led grant-funded field projects and conducted coral health and demographic surveys. The fun did not stop there; I developed underwater photogrammetry protocols using Agisoft Metashape and Taglab. I have trained over 20 students in photogrammetry, participated in several restoration outreach events, and presented at major conferences, including the International Coral Reef Symposium and Reef Futures. Currently, I am pursuing my PhD under Dr. Joshua Feingold, whose 30 + years of extensive Galápagos research have documented the dramatic decline and recovery of Pocillopora (a keystone coral species) following the 1982–83 ENSO event. Interestingly, Dr. Feingold has documented possible species shifts and possible hybrid morphologies not observed before the 1982-1983 ENSO event. My dissertation studies the resilience and recovery capacity of Pocillopora corals in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Galápagos. Building on my Florida fieldwork experience, I will use photomosaics and demographic assessments, RAD-seq/SNP analyses to examine connectivity, dispersal, hybridization, and the adaptive potential of these corals, thereby identifying resilient restoration sources. With this expertise under my belt, I am motivated to apply these abilities to advance my dissertation research and contribute to the field of coral reef ecology and restoration. The Boston Reefers Scholarship would deliver vital support by helping me to cover my educational costs. This investment will not only help defend these key ecosystems but also allow me to provide guidance, and hope to the upcoming cohort of marine stewards.