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2 3 “In refl ecting back over the past two years, I have never been more impressed by the collective resolve and dedication to recover and rebuild as I have with the citizens of the Virgin Islands, particularly the students, faculty and staff here at the University of the Virgin Islands. Th is issue of our newsletter is dedicated to them.” – Kim Waddel, Ph.D., Contents 8 – 11 Th e Nemeth Lab 12 – 17 Th e Brandt Lab 18 – 21 Th e Smith Lab 22 – 23 Technical Diving 26 – 29 Th e Wilson Grimes Lab 30 – 31 Th e Oceanography Lab 34 – 39 Workforce Development 42 – 45 Education, Outreach & Diversity 46 – 49 Masters of Marine & Environmental Studies 4 5 waters to over 300 foot depths, they are interdependent with a variety of species including fish and turtles that play a variety of roles from algae & grass grazers to predators in this ecosystem. VI-EPSCoR investments in acoustic transmitters allow our researchers and students to track the movement of these species in order to help understand their behavior and roles within this ecosystem. We also have come to realize that the rate of change and challenges impacting the marine ecosystem require more than just observation and understanding in order to man- age these natural resources that are foundational to our tourism-based economy. This is especially true after the 2017 hurricanes, but also con- sidering the impacts of more chron- ic stressors such as rising sea tem- peratures and land-based pollution. With Dr. Brandt’s leadership, our cor- al restoration technicians are leading the efforts behind VI Reef Response – reflecting a growing partnership between UVI, local dive shops, and engaged citizen scientists—to build and expand the number of sites ded- icated to reef restoration. VI-EPSCoR investments have also improved our ability to understand the factors that influence ocean temperatures and their impacts on the ecology of marine life here in the Caribbean- using sophisticated technical deep diving teams and a variety of monitoring buoys and tools. Dr. Tyler Smith led this re- search, and his work and publica- tion record in this area of research led to his appointment to a presti- gious U.S. National Academies of Sciences’ committee tasked with identifying interventions that scien- tists can apply to increase the per- sistence and resilience of coral reefs around the world. One of the key stressors in our coastal and marine ecosystems are our land-based sources of pollu- tion. Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes, her lab team, and over a hundred volunteers gave Virgin Islanders a sense of just how much marine de- bris can accumulate in just one year in just one marine reserve among the mangroves of southeastern St. Thomas Island. They removed over 1700 pounds of predominantly plas- tic debris during the second annual “Great Mangrove Clean-Up”. This effort, supported by a NOAA grant and support from the VI Marine Advisory Service and VI-EPSCoR, has led to the development of a Ma- rine Debris Action Plan that will guide marine debris prioritization and removal from all three islands in the USVI over the next few years. All of our VI-EPSCoR research, education, and workforce develop- ment efforts simply could not be accomplished without our grad- uate and undergraduate students. While our students in the master’s in Marine and Environmental Sci- ence program contribute much to the enterprise, we are particularly excited to see a subset of those stu- dents get opportunities to explore the possibilities of advanced degrees like a Ph.D. Drs. Wilson Grimes and Brandt received a National Sci- ence Foundation grant that has been augmented with additional support from a local foundation and the US Environmental Protection Agen- cy to provide a bridge to PhD pro- grams targeting underrepresented minorities. To date, eleven students have participated, and we expect to continue introducing more UVI students to these opportunities. Among the many roles that public universities play in society, one rou- tinely includes preparing the future workforce who can then tackle the opportunities and challenges facing their communities and the nation. Under the Mare Nostrum grant we have directed our energies in sever- al key areas. Nationwide, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math- ematics (STEM)-educated workers are in high demand, and the need is just as great here in the Territory. Our investments have been dedicat- ed to improving STEM education through Grades K-12 teacher pro- fessional development, mentoring new UVI STEM faculty, and devel- oping UVI undergraduates for en- hanced recruitment and retention in the STEM fields. We also believe education and improving science literacy can be facilitated in infor- mal and nontraditional settings, so our Education, Outreach, and Diversity team have contributed much to our program by raising our profile in the community as well as fostered collaborations with NGOs, local businesses, schools and foun- dations –all to enhance the effective communication of how science and research are relevant to the present and future Virgin Islands. The articles shared in this issue highlight the many remarkable ac- complishments of the Mare Nostrum project. I hope you enjoy and learn something new about our work here in the USVI! Dr. Kim Waddell, Director Here at VI-EPSCoR, we just completed our 5th year of research and supporting capacity building activities under our NSF-EPSCoR RII Track 1 grant titled Mare Nostrum. In developing the theme for this newsletter is- sue, we thought that this would be an appropriate time to reflect over the past five years and highlight the ac- complishments and scientific advances made by our researchers, students and staff. We also wanted to ac- knowledge the challenges during this grant cycle—most notably the two Category 5 hurricanes that devastated the USVI, our neighbors in Puerto Rico, and other northeastern Caribbean islands in 2017—that stunned us all but in the long run made us more determined, resourceful and in some ways, more resilient. The dominant research thrust supported by VI-EPSCoR continues to be our research exploring the diseases, di- versity and demographics of coral reefs led by Drs. Mar- ilyn Brandt, Rick Nemeth, and Tyler Smith. Brandt’s team has been studying the sources and mechanisms of coral disease transmission – specifically the diversity of pathogens and other microbes collectively known as the “microbiome” that live within the corals. She and her students have learned much about the complex inter- actions between environmental stressors such as high- er sea temperatures and land based pollutants such as sediments and excessive nutrients with the corals. All this work has prepared Brandt and her colleagues to tackle the latest threat – a new rapidly spreading dis- ease identified as “stony coral tissue loss disease” that recently devastated the corals in the Florida Keys and has been discovered off the south side of St. Thomas. Brandt has drawn upon an active network of colleagues and students to help galvanize a multipronged research response to understand, predict and potentially control this and other diseases that are challenging our coral reef ecosystems. While corals are important part of a large complex ma- rine ecosystem that stretches from nearshore shallow Reflections 6 7 Coral Reef Disease, Diversity & Demographics 8 9 Our knowledge of animal movements in the marine environment has greatly increased through the support of the VI-EPSCoR program. Over several years, nearly 150 fish, representing 34 species and 22 fish families, and 30 endangered/threatened sea turtles, representing two species, have been tagged with acoustic transmitters, which allowed University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) researchers to track the animals’ movements using moored receivers. Multiple projects, addressing specific research hypotheses, have included the study of parrotfish foraging behavior in Bermuda, small-scale move- ments patterns of the invasive lionfish on shallow and mesophotic reefs (St. Croix and St. Thomas), reproductive behaviors of the endangered Nassau grouper (St. Thomas), the relationship of marine managed area boundar- ies to fish movements (St. Croix), and the effects of habitat, environmental variability, and hurricanes on movements of sea turtles and a variety of commercially important reef fishes (St. Thomas). This work has engaged a large number of UVI students and faculty and re- sulted in eight master’s theses, 12 presentations at international conferences and another nine publications that are currently in press or preparation. Acoustic transmitters emit unique signals that travel up to 300 meters underwa- ter. When a receiver detects the signal from a tagged animal, it records the date, time and identification number of the animal. This information is stored un- til the receiver database is downloaded. Acoustic receivers have been strategically placed around research locations such as Brewers Bay, St. Thomas and St. Croix East End Marine Park. Several of these projects are still underway and data has not yet been fully analyzed. However, we have already learned much about the animal movements. For example, tagged green and hawksbill turtles found in Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, have relatively small home ranges, much less than a square kilometer, and many of these individual tur- tles remained in the area for at least four years. Of the other projects, we have learned that some animals (sea turtles and some species of fish), but not all, respond strongly to approaching hurricanes by retreating to deep- er water. Post-hurricane, most tagged animals returned to their normal home range, but some (stingrays, grouper, triggerfish) left their home range after a few days or weeks and never returned. The departure of stingrays, in par- ticular, was probably the result of storm surge disturbing their primary feeding habitats of seagrass and sand. We also found evidence that increasing seawater tempera- tures can make animals use different home ranges. For ex- ample, the Atlantic tarpon typically shelters in shallow la- goons at night except when seawater temperature exceeds 29˚ C. Then the tarpon rest in deeper, cooler waters, but the trade-off may be greater risk of predation. This infor- mation will allow us to make predictions about future an- imal movements under different climate change scenarios when the tropical Atlantic may experience warmer waters and more severe hurricanes. When we tagged the invasive lionfish, we learned that li- onfish living in patch reef habitats had larger home ranges than lionfish in contiguous reef habitat, suggesting that lionfish may need to forage over larger areas when living on patch reefs. While the majority of lionfish moved less than 500 meters, some moved more than three kilometers away from where they were tagged in shallow water less than 15 meters deep, to mesophotic reefs 45 meters deep. We found that biomass of potential lionfish competitors and predators greater than 13 cm, negatively influenced lionfish residence on sites. This suggests that healthy native fish populations may have a negative influence on invasive lionfish. Under- standing the drivers of lionfish habitat use is crucial for the management of this invasive species and can lend better insight to identify high-risk reef habitats of lion- fish invasion. By Richard Nemeth, Ph.D., VI-EPSCoR Senior Scientist and Paul Jobsis, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Marine & Environmental Studies Mare Nostrum Investments Revolutionize UVI Research This Nassau Grouper has been tagged with an acoustic transmitter so researchers can follow its movements and learn more about its spawning behaviors. Photo: R. Nemeth 10 Ultimately, this research project seeks to better un- derstand the differences between the feeding rates of four parrotfish species and how latitude effects these rates. This informa- tion will potentially help inform managers how best to set fishing restrictions in the Caribbean and help keep important herbivores on coral reefs, thus keeping algal growth at bay. MMES Candidate Studies Parrotfish Feeding Rates Large parrotfish are critical [and endangered] coral reef herbivores. As a second-year Masters of Marine and Environmental Studies in the Nemeth Lab, I am researching the feeding rate of four species of large Scarus parrot- fishes, the Rainbow (S. gaucamaia), Midnight (S. coelestinus), Blue (S. coeruleus) and Queen (S. vetula). My research primarily looks at the effect of latitude on herbivory by comparing the feeding rates of these same species in Bermuda (32.3078 N, 64.7505 W) and Bonaire (12.2019 N, 68.2624 W). This summer, a team of researchers including myself, Dr. Richard Nemeth and Sarah Heidmann, traveled to Bonaire to collect data for this project. While on location, we conducted 20-minute “fish follows” to record herbivory data including number of bites, type of food eaten, substrate, defecations, and in- teractions with other fish. We also collected algae abundance data at each site. In total, 87 parrotfish from three different sites around Bonaire were followed. This data will be compared to earlier herbivory data collected in Bermuda in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Additional data collection following the same procedures are conducted monthly at Flat Cay just south of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, to measure the seasonal effect of temperature change and algae abundance on the feeding rate of S. vetula the Queen parrotfish. All of the collected data will help this project reach the goal of better comprehending the role that herbivores play in reducing the amount of algae on reefs and opening up space for coral recruit- ment. Large parrotfish are important herbivores, but the specifics of how the Rainbow, Midnight, Blue and Queen parrotfish contribute to algae reduction is not fully understood. By Amanda Long, MMES Candidate in the Nemeth Lab Above: Amanda Long recording feeding behav- ior of a rainbow parrotfish in Bonaire . Right: Blue parrotfish seen feeding over sandy substrate in Bonaire. Photo: S. Heidmann 12 13 curing a collaborative NSF EAGER grant with Dr. Laura Mydlarz’s laboratory at the University of Tex- as, Arlington and Dr. Erinn Muller at Mote Marine Laboratory. The transmission work that was led by Brandt at UVI with samples being analyzed by Myd- larz and Muller led the identification of important immune components that cause the differences in disease susceptibility among coral species. VI-EPSCoR-supported Post-doctoral Associate Dr. Andia Chaves-Fonnegra worked with Brandt for two years and together they identified important environmental drivers of white plague disease. They did this by analyzing a temporally and geographi- cally rich data set collected by Brandt’s laboratory in the previous three years, revealing for the first time that turbidity as well as temperature can be a driver of disease. These results suggest a potential role for terrestrial run-off in triggering increases in disease. Dr. Chaves-Fonnegra completed her post-doctoral work and went on to become an assistant professor at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute where she was recently named a 2019 Early Career Re- search Fellow in the National Academies’ Gulf Re- search Program. All of this work put Brandt’s lab in a good position to assist in the response to the emergence of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) in St. Thomas in January of 2019. SCTLD is a newly identified coral disease that affects up to 22 species of corals and has been ravaging the reefs of the Florida Keys for more than five years. Brandt’s lab identified the disease early in its emergence in the US Virgin Islands and has been tracking its spread and performing exper- iments to determine its transmissibility and impact on Virgin Islands coral reefs. Brandt became the lead on collaborative work funded by an NSF RAPID grant to identify micro- bial properties of the disease and coral immune re- sponses. The effort includes collaborators at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, University of Texas, Arlington, Rice University, Louisiana State Univer- sity, and Mote Marine Laboratory. Brandt’s lab also has partnered with VI-EPSCoR and the Division of Coastal Zone Management of the US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources to launch an aggressive commu- nications campaign and citizen science program focused on the emergence of SCTLD. Communi- cations have included multiple articles in local and national press, appearances on local radio stations, and numerous community events. Brandt’s lab recently received NOAA funding to execute a disease response coordination workshop that will invite scientists and managers from around the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to work on coordinating efforts to study the disease. VI-EPSCoR has supported Brandt’s laboratory by providing funding for student research assis- tantships and student experiments. Over the last five years, VI-EPSCoR has provided partial or full support for eight of Brandt’s previous and current graduate students in the UVI Master of Marine and Environmental Science program, five undergrad- uate students, and two local high school interns. Among the students who have worked on projects and experiments related to coral disease are Logan Williams (M.S. 2017), now the education and out- reach coordinator for Coral World on St. Thomas; Danielle Lasseigne (M.S. 2018), who will begin as a technician with the Gulf Breeze laboratory of the Environmental Protection Agency in October 2019; Lauren Olinger (M.S. 2017), now a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington; and Jendahye Antoine (B.S. expected 2020), who was awarded a NOAA EPP/MSI Scholarship for 2018-2020. The Brandt Lab Leads In Coral Disease Research One of the greatest challenges facing scientists studying coral disease is the difficulty in identifying pathogens. The complexity of corals is extraordi- nary. Corals have a critical symbiotic relationship with small plants that live in their tissues. The extra nutrition that the plants provide to the corals by photosynthesizing allows them to grow their skeletons and create coral reefs. But new research is revealing the corals also have other relationships with bacteria, fungi, and possibly even viruses that live in their mucus, in their skeletons, and even in their tissues, and these relationships are just as important to the coral’s survival and growth. All of these microscopic critters make up the “microbiome” of the coral. Scientists are finding that the microbiomes of corals can vary across species, regions, and even time periods. Therefore, it is like aiming at a moving target to try and under- stand what a coral’s microbiome is. This makes identifying pathogens or unhealthy microbiomes extremely difficult. Not knowing the pathogen of a disease can hinder the ability to understand risk factors and disease transmission, ultimately impacting our ability to predict and control disease. Nevertheless, even when some pathogens have not been identified, Brandt believes much still can be learned about coral disease. She and her students have gained significant insight into critically important aspects of coral disease, performing experiments in the environment and using seawater tables at CMES, with the hope that their work will help managers and res- toration specialists to conserve reefs. Over the last five years, Brandt’s lab has identified transmission mecha- nisms and distinguished risk factors associated with the important coral diseases white plague and black band. These Caribbean coral diseases affect multiple species of corals, and when outbreaks of these diseases occur, they can cause devastating losses of coral. Brandt and her students identified water transport as an important mechanism of transmission and deter- mined what species of corals were most susceptible to infection. With travel support from VI-EPSCoR, Brandt was able to present these results at the 2016 International Coral Reef Symposium, which led to se- Coral disease has become an increasingly important source of coral loss on coral reefs worldwide. With assistance from VI-EPSCoR funding, Dr. Marilyn Brandt’s laboratory in the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES) at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) has been tackling the challenge of understanding coral disease in a rapidly changing environment. By Marilyn Brandt, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor of Marine and Environmental Science Brandt’s lab is well positioned to assist in the response to the emergence of stony coral tissue loss disease in St. Thomas in January, 2019. This disease has been ravaging the reefs of the Florida Keys for 5+ years. Above, Dr. Brandt works closely with Naomi Huntley, MMES candidate, on a coral specimen. Below, Dr. Brandt monitors the water tables at CMES. Photos provided by M. Brandt 14 15 Sonora Meiling is a second-year graduate student in the Masters of Marine and Environmental Science program working under Dr. Marilyn Brandt as the VI-EPSCoR disease research assistant. Since Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease was discovered in waters off of St. Thomas, Meiling has been working in the field and in the lab to describe this novel disease. One component of her thesis includes a transmission experiment that exposed healthy colonies of coral to diseased colonies in order to document the suscep- tibility, incidence rate, and lesion progression rate for six important reef-building species. In order to validate her results, she is building 3D models of marked corals on the reef weekly for photogrammetry analyses of the lesion progression rate. Early this fall, she plans to con- duct another transmission experiment to better address the transmissibility of the SCTLD pathogen through water by exposing healthy corals in the lab to water tak- en from the reef above a diseased coral. VI-EPSCoR -supported MMES student, Sonora Meiling researches coral disease. The Progression Of A Deadly Coral Disease This large colony of coral (1.4 meters wide) experienced full mortality in just over one month. The white patches are exposed skeleton where, what we believe to be, stony coral tissue loss disease has necrosed the coral’s tissue. Sonora Meiling taking photos of the corals in the disease transmission experiment. This was repeated twice daily to monitor the health of the fragments in order to analyze species susceptibility and lesion progression rate of what we believe to be stony coral tissue loss disease. Photo: Amanda Long February 3, 2019 February 12, 2019 February 21, 2019 March 6, 2019 Sonora Meiling – MMES Candidate in the Brandt Lab 16 17 What the interns found at Flat Cay was disheartening – a previously thriving and diverse reef had been largely reduced to rubble. Despite the damage, a closer look at the reef gave them reason to be hopeful. Many of the broken coral fragments scattered across the ocean floor were still alive – and could survive and flourish in a cor- al nursery setting, and eventually be planted back to the reef, allowing the reef to grow and thrive once more. The interns were excited about the idea but knew it would be impossible for them to restore the reef without help…thus, the Virgin Islands Reef Response was born. VIRR is a coral conservation citizen science program lead by principal investigator Dr. Marilyn Brandt that was created to help make a coral restoration program possible at UVI. Constructing, stocking, and maintain- ing a coral nursery takes a lot of work, and is especially challenging since much of the work needs to be con- ducted on SCUBA. VIRR offers an opportunity for St. Thomas residents and visitors to become citizen scien- tists and learn about coral reefs and coral restoration while assisting with nursery construction, maintenance, and data collection. VIRR first enlisted the help of cit- izen scientists to construct coral nursery structures, called coral ‘trees,’ on which to hang the coral frag- ments. The call for help was answered by two groups – the Youth Ocean Explorers and voluntourists (cruise ship vacationers who complete a volunteer project at each stop). Once the trees were in the water and coral fragments at- tached, VIRR teamed up with two local dive shops, Red Hook Dive Center and Admiralty Dive Center, to as- semble teams of divers to keep the coral trees clean and the corals healthy. If the trees are not cleaned regularly, algae quickly grows on them and can overgrow corals, blocking out the light that they need to survive and thrive. Each coral tree can take almost an hour to clean – an entire dive. Maintaining ten coral trees with just two people would mean the dive buddy team would need to dive for five hours each time the nursery needed to be cleaned! The inaugural VIRR team cleaned all ten trees in just one hour. Since then, VI Reef Responders have continued to help maintain the coral trees and have also taken data on the health and growth of coral fragments in the nursery. More recently, they have begun to survey local reefs for the presence of a newly emerged coral disease (thought by coral disease experts to be stony coral tissue loss dis- ease) and have been a huge help to UVI coral disease scientists in mapping the disease. In addition to hosting dives open to the public, VIRR and its partner dive shops have hosted dives for high school students. These students began their marine studies in the Youth Ocean Explorers program, became dive certified in the Coki program, and are now con- ducting science on SCUBA! So far, VIRR has received assistance from about 100 citizen scientists, who have assembled 20 coral trees, cleaned 40 coral trees, collected data on 360 coral frag- ments, and surveyed four reefs for the presence of stony coral tissue loss disease. VIRR dives have been positive experiences for the citi- zen scientists and have fostered feelings of stewardship for our local reefs. “Through this program, hobby divers have learned about corals, their threats, their successes, and the over- all reef ecosystem. I believe that this knowledge will expand into more coral reef conscious divers who will continue to spread awareness about the delicate bal- ance of the Virgin Islands reefs,” said Adrianne Poe, a dedicated citizen scientist who has participated in all of VIRR’s dives to date. VIRR also has big plans for the future. With the help of VI Reef Responders, VIRR will plant corals back to the reef in spring of 2020, expand the Flat Cay nursery to include new types of coral tree structures, and install a new coral nursery on the east end of St. Thomas. After category five hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated St. Thomas in 2017, VI-EPSCoR coral restoration interns Kristen Ewen and Alexandra Gutting set out to survey the damage to a reef at Flat Cay just south of the island. VI Reef Response Junior SCUBA divers have been ac- tive citizen scientists through their participation in the Reef Response Program. Above from left: Anushka Chandiramani, Maia Aqui, Captain Jerry Cowan, Sakari Clendenin, Alex Gutting, Kyle Jerris, Paschal Bryan and Diego Villegas. Below, Sakari and Maia work to- gether to remove algae from a coral tree. This work is important be- cause algae can quickly overgrow corals, blocking out the light that corals need to survive and thrive. Photos: A. Gutting By Alexandra Gutting – MMES Candidate in the Brandt Lab 18 19 One purpose of Mare Nostrum research is to understand the human and ocean drivers of temperature variability across the USVI and how temperatures are changing in a warming ocean. Temperature plays a key role in the ecology of organ- isms in the tropical oceans. It aff ects current patterns, growth rates, and mortality. In particular, because cor- al reefs are extremely sensitive to seawater temperature increases, which can cause coral bleaching (loss of sym- biotic algae inside coral animal tissue) and death, they are known as “the canary in the coal mine” for global warming in the oceans. Unfortunately, across the globe and in the USVI the “ca- nary” is telling us to get out of the mine or, in this case, clean up our planet-warming emissions. Sea surface temperatures have been increasing along with atmo- spheric heating due to global warming. Th e earth just suff ered the third major coral bleaching event on record from 2015-2018, and the worst in terms of duration, in- tensity, and amount of areas aff ected. Since 2005, a year of major mass bleaching and mor- Five Years of Improved Infrastructure Supports Ocean Warming Research tality from heat stress, the USVI has seen sea surface temperatures between August and November that rou- tinely exceed thermal stress limits for corals. What is not known is how these increases are changing the dynamics of temperature, the variance between highs and lows, and how this is changing the environment at deeper depths were coral reefs, fi sh, and other sensitive organisms live. To meet the challenge of these unknowns, VI EPSCoR has funded cutting-edge thermal stress infrastructure and research from the sea surface to depths where sun- light nearly fades to black. On St. Croix, investments in deep diving training and technology (see the Fall 2018 Newsletter ‘Coral Reef Research’) have allowed the de- ployment of temperature monitoring equipment down to 330 feet at three sites. Across the two-mile deep Anegada Passage at the south St. Th omas shelf edge, VI-EPSCoR researchers at the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, Carib- bean Wind LLC, and Lighthouse Marine have deployed a subsurface buoy capable of monitoring temperature and ocean salinity down to a depth of 330 feet. Th e instruments on the buoy line communicate with elec- trical pulses through the steel cable to a data receiving station at 70-foot depth, thus allowing researchers to retrieve data at comparably shallow depths. In the fu- ture the data will be communicated to a surface buoy that will send real-time updates directly to researchers at CMES and globally, as part of a web portal. Th is will allow accurate and fast monitoring of depth-specifi c ocean temperatures and alert researchers to heat stress events and other phenomena that cannot be detected on the ocean surface. Previous eff orts supported by VI EPSCoR have made the USVI one of the most comprehensively monitored coral reef ecosystems globally, with over 44 research sites in the territory. Th is has contributed to more than 16 scientifi c peer-reviewed papers on corals and ther- mal environments in the USVI and numerous training opportunities for students and employees. All data are freely available from Dr. Tyler B. Smith (tsmith@uvi.edu). Above, VI EPSCoR research team leader Dr. Tyler Smith during a lab in the Magens Bay Arboretum. Photo: KW Grimes Below left , Dr. Smith inspects a deeper section of the thermistor string at 270 feet. Oct. 26, 2018; Photo: V. Brandtneris Below, learn more about the NASEM report at https://viepscor. org/news/2019/6/13/scientists-off er-a-glimmer-of-hope-with- strategies-for-saving-coral-reefs Dr. Tyler Smith installs a stake to support a temperature probe at 330’ in Cane Bay, St. Croix. Probes were also installed at Salt River and the southeastern Lang Bank (November 5, 2018; Photo: V. Brandtneris) By Tyler Smith, Ph.D., Associate Research Professor of Marine Science Tyler Smith, Ph.D. was appointed to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), supported by the Ocean Studies Board, to participate in the study “Interventions to Increase the Resilience of Coral Reefs”. Dr. Tyler Smith, Associate Research Professor of Marine Science at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and a key partner on VI-EPSCoR’s Coral Reef Research team, was one of only twelve scientists invited to provide his expert opinion on the diff erent ways humans can intervene to save coral reefs. Smith is the fi rst faculty from UVI to serve on a NASEM consen- sus study and considers it quite an honor. Th e two NASEM reports lay the foundation for active interven- tion to support the persistence of coral reefs. Th e funding of the study indicates how seriously the United States is taking the problem of understanding how coral reefs might be saved from ocean warming. Th erefore, it is likely that coral reef interventions will soon be available for use in the USVI to support the survival of coral reefs in the face of thermal stress, disease, pollution, and ecological change. Th is will boost existing coral restoration strategies to, among other things, provide coral stocks that are more resistant to thermal stress. Th is study was conducted at the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Dr. Tyler Smith Invited To Serve On A National Academies Of Science, Engineering, And Medicine Consensus Study. 19 20 21 Karli Hollister is seen here using 3D photogrammetry to build 3D models of the corals in her study. Photo: T. Smith. Encrusting algae is widespread and can be found in oceans across the world. It’s a rocklike, sometimes red- dish crust that is often seen on the sea bottom, rocks and on corals. Although not all species of encrusting algae are harmful to coral reefs, the one found here in St. Thomas, the Ramicrusta sp., is. My thesis in the MMES Program explores encrusting algae through the use of 3D photogrammetry. This method uses a series of photographs to build high defi- nition 3D models of corals so I can closely examine algal growth on a specimen over time. By Karli Hollister – MMES Candidate in the Smith Lab Working in the Smith Lab has provided me with the resources needed to complete the project – both on land and in the water. There are five species of corals I have photographed over the course of six months to learn how the encrusting alga is impacting our local reefs. The species of corals included in my thesis are Orbicella faveolata, the mountainous star coral, Orbicella annularis, the boulder star coral, Pseu- dodiploria strigosa, the symmetrical brain coral, Siderastrea siderea, the massive starlet coral and Porties astreoides, the mustard hill coral. So far, we have found that the massive starlet coral is a strong competitor against Ramicrusta, while all of the other coral species exhibit little to no resistance to overgrowth by the alga. Since the latter includes some of our important reef building species, it is possible that Ramicrusta could not only significantly impact coral spe- cies diversity on our reefs, but could also impair the structural complexity of the reef over time. The Effects of Encrusting Algae on Caribbean Coral Reefs 22 23 Since 2015, the diving safety team at University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Center for Marine and Environ- mental Studies (CMES) has been working diligently to increase the dive program’s capacity. Advancements in this area have allowed us to continue leading the explo- ration and study of deep corals reefs. In the last four years the number of functional re- breathers available to team divers nearly doubled, two new Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) divers (Rosmin Ennis and Sarah Heidmann) were trained, and Brandt- neris achieved certification as a CCR instructor. The direct result of these efforts is a near quadrupling of an- nual CCR dives at UVI from 81 in 2016 to 313 in 2018. Maximum research depth has increased from 210 feet to 330 feet. This is not an insignificant accomplishment for a small university! In 2018, UVI was ranked second by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (aaus.org) for the most rebreather dives, led only by the entire United States National Park Service (NPS) which logged 381 dives. Amazingly, UVI CMES had fewer than half the active CCR divers that NPS had during 2018 (UVI - 6; NPS - 13). This puts UVI’s technical research diving program on a world class level, rivaled only by a hand- ful of large governmental organizations and private re- search outfits. Our position on a Caribbean island immediately adja- cent to a broad array of marine ecosystems gives us a unique advantage when it comes to pushing forward the study of deep coral reefs. We might be small, but our core group of highly skilled divers, combined with quality infrastructure (thanks to the investments of VI-EPSCoR), has yielded a truly unparalleled deep reef research program. The US Virgin Islands ranks third behind Aus- tralia and the United States for the output of peer-reviewed scientific studies on mesophotic coral reefs (Turner et al. 2017). Overseeing the rapid growth of our technical diving program—a set of high risk, high consequence activ- ities—has not been without challenges, yet the future of technical diving at UVI is very exciting. We are well positioned to continue leading the way in the study of deep coral reefs. Now that open circuit technical dive training is in-house, we have the ability to better streamline our training procedures and give gradu- ate students (and someday, select undergrads) unique opportunities to gain significant dive experience in a short period of time. Our goals are to continue the carefully measured ex- pansion of the technical diving program, increase our technical training rates, and to see our dive team spend a greater amount of time beyond 150 feet, exploring unique, barely studied Agariciid fringe reefs. “University of the Virgin Islands research accounts for 9.2% of the total published mesophotic body of work...in the whole world.” V. Brandtneris UVI’s Technical Diving Program Hits Some Big Milestones IN 2018 UVI’S TECHNICAL DIVING PROGRAM WAS: By Viktor Brandtneris, Technical Dive Office Assistant Below: Dan Mele, MMES candidate records sightings of the deadly stony coral tissue loss disease found at approximately 120 feet on mesophotic coral reefs. Photo: V. Brandtneris. Facing page: newly certified technical divers include a visiting researcher, Adam Glahn, CMES Marine Life Restoration Technician, dive instructor Viktor Brandt- neris, and MMES candidates Dan Mele and Sonora Meiling. Photo: S. Heidmann. # 2 In Dives Below 100 Feet #1 In Technical Decompression Dives #4 In Dives Below 150 Feet #2 In Closed Circuit Rebreather Dives 24 25 Emerging Areas 26 27 With community partners, Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes organized the 2nd Annu- al Great Mangrove Clean Up in the St. Thomas East End Reserves in April 2019. About 150 volunteers aged 9-70, from seven schools and 13 organiza- tions, participated in the cleanup, removing more the 1,700 pounds of debris from vulnerable man- grove shorelines. With new funding from NOAA’s Marine Debris Removal Program, this annual event will continue for the next two years and expand to St. John and St. Croix with a fo- cus on removing remaining hurri- cane-deposited debris in and along mangrove shorelines. In addition, this new grant will support the creation of a Marine Debris Action Plan for the U.S. Virgin Islands, a fi rst for all U.S. insular areas. Th e plan is critical to the coordina- tion and prioritization of future marine debris removal, research, and debris prevention activities in the Territory, including policy decisions and future management actions. Grimes is the Principal Investigator for this new grant and Howard Forbes Jr. from the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service is the Co-PI. The Grimes Lab Continues to Infl uence Marine Debris in The Territory. “...this annual event will continue for the next two years and expand to St. John and St. Croix with a focus on re- moving remaining hurricane-deposited debris in and along mangrove shorelines.” Dr. KW Grimes 246 Plastic Beverage Bottles 133 Plastic Pieces 114 Other Plastic Bottles 92 Plastic Grocery Bags 89 Other Plastic Bags Other Plastic & Foam Packaging 82 Beverage Cans THE 2019 GREAT MANGROVE CLEAN-UP Of The St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER) M Tracey Saxby, IAN Image Library (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/) Glass Beverage Bottles Construction Material Items Plastic Cups & Plates “...the data tell us we should all be thinking more about what we eat and drink out of, where we dispose of it, and where it may end up.” Dr. Kristin Grimes, Assistant Professor, Center for Marine & Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands 111 113 109 83 ST. THOMAS St. Thomas East End Reserves GREAT ST. JAMES RED HOOK RITZ CARLTON VESSUP BAY CABRITA POINT BOLONGO BAY COMPASS POINT BOVONI LANDFILL SALT POND 115 volunteers ages 9 - 70 removed 1,786 lbs of debris from mangrove shorelines. ST. THOMAS WEIRD FINDS STEER contains the largest remaining mangrove forest on St. Thomas! By Kristin Wilson Grimes, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Watershed Ecology Th is page: volunteers at Th e 2019 Great Mangrove Cleanup worked tirelessly to remove marine debris from the mangrove lagoon. Photos by KW Grimes. Facing page: Infographic by Elisa Bryan 28 29 Akacia Halliday Virgin Islander Akacia Halliday, embodies the goals of the Bridge Program. She attended Charlotte Amalie High School and then achieved her undergraduate de- gree at the University of the Virgin Islands. Th en she joined the UVI Masters of Marine and Environmen- tal Studies program and participated in the Bridge to PH.D. Program. She successfully defended her thesis entitled, “Environmental correlates of infection rates of an apicomplexan blood parasite infecting Caribbean Stegastes damselfi shes” and graduated in May 2019. She is now in the Ph.D. program in Biological Sciences at the University of Mississippi. “I wholeheartedly thank the Bridge to PhD pro- gram for opening my eyes to the great research that is possible in this fi eld, building my confi - dence as a scientist, and connecting me to this wonderful PhD program. I hope in the future to inspire others the way they all have inspired me.” – Akacia Halliday Owen Clower Owen successfully defended his thesis and graduated from the MMES Program in May 2019. Owen’s thesis, entitled, “An investigation into the temporal and spatial trends of contaminants in Mangrove Lagoon, St. Th om- as East End Reserves (STEER), U.S. Virgin Islands” found widespread heavy metal and other pollutant con- tamination of mangrove and lagoon sediments in Man- grove Lagoon which is part of the St. Th omas East End Reserves, a marine protected area on St. Th omas. A 2018 Bridge to the Ph.D. Program student, Owen is now a fi rst-year Ph.D. student at Louisiana State University in the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences. Dr. Wilson Grimes (PI) and Dr. Marilyn Brandt (Co-PI) continue work on the NSF INCLUDES grant, “SEAS Your Tomorrow” (Award #1649300) which aims to increase student interest and engagement in the marine sci- ences in the US Virgin Islands. With continued funding from the Community Foundation of the Virgin Is- lands, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Science Foundation, this program, now in its third year, has supported 11 under- represented minority (URM) students in the Bridge to the Ph.D. Program with Penn State University. Of those who participated in the program, two are now enrolled in Ph.D. programs in the marine sciences as a result of their participation in the program, while a third received a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program through NOAA Sea Grant. Additionally, 12 UVI undergraduates have participated in early career research and professional internship expe- riences through the program with partners from the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, NOAA National Coral Reef Conservation Program, Th e Nature Conservancy, the Ocean and Coastal Observing Vir- gin Islands, Inc., and the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service. Meanwhile, 128 middle and high school students have participated in the Youth Ocean Explorers Program, a four-week, hands-on, summer marine science experience. All of the students benefi tted from increased mentor- ship, individualized career development plans, and family support pro- gramming to assist them in their marine science journeys. Two Bridge To Ph.D. Participants begin their own Ph.D. Programs “SEAS Your Tomorrow” Increases Student Interest In Marine Sciences By Kristin Wilson Grimes, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Watershed Ecology Above left : YOE Student Muriel Boumedine, now in high school, above left gave a poster at the 2019 ASLO Conference: Boumedine, M. “Comparing fi sh preference for natural vs. ar- tifi cial coral reef.” Educator Fair and Poster Ses- sion for Local High School Students. Wednes- day, February 27, 9-10:45am, Exhibit Hall A. Photo: J. Stout Above right: Recent MMES graduates and students Carolyn Courtien, D. Eliza- beth Smith and Akacia Halliday in in the Water Quality Analysis Lab in the Ma- cLean Marine Science Center Building. Photo: KW Grimes Below right: Owen Clower, M.S., Photo provided by O. Clower 30 31 In August 2019, UVI’s Center for Marine and Environ- mental Studies (CMES) received a new Coastal Ocean- ographic vessel. Th is former Coast Guard buoy tender is a 55-foot Derecktor with a design and equipment that will greatly increase the center’s ability to conduct coast- al oceanography. Th is versatile ship has a crane which can lift up to 3500 pounds, allowing UVI to install and remove ocean- ographic buoys in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico’s CariCOOS program and others. In addition, the ship can pull large nets for sampling, and deploy oceanography instruments such as CTDs and Gliders. CMES research has historically been focused on coral reefs, marine ecology and mangroves, but the addition of a coastal oceanographic vessel allows researchers to start conducting more oceanography related research. Th is serious investment by the National Science Foun- dations’ VI-EPSCoR program is a perfect example of how this program can expand the Virgin Islands’ capac- ity to conduct research. UVI hopes to expand its research programs to include all types of oceanography, but will begin by focusing on biological and physical oceanography. Dr. Sennai Habtes’ research program on the diversity in plankton as it varies throughout the year will primarily focus on commercially important fi sh larvae found in the plank- ton. Optimally, his research will increase understanding of the spawning cycles, stock size, and critical oceano- graphic conditions during spawning. UVI Coastal Oceanography Research Takes a Big Step Forward with the Derecktor 55 By Paul Jobsis, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Marine & Environmental Studies & Sennai Habtes, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Biological Oceanography Photo: P. Jobsis 32 33 Workforce Development 34 35 Workforce Development has been granted an amazing opportunity over the last five years to research and in- novate around the known pathways for STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) talent de- velopment. Our efforts have spanned educational en- richment for children in K-12, teacher professional de- velopment, college student STEM enrichment and early career STEM professional mentorship. These varied ap- proaches address the need for early exposure/interest in STEM, establishment of rigorous pre-college prepara- tion, and promotion of student academic persistence in STEM programs and as professionals. The President’s Council on Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST, 2012) reported that a million more STEM baccalaureates would be needed by 2022 to meet the emerging industry needs. The vulnerability of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) economy is linked to the need for a large, diverse, highly qualified scientific workforce to take advantage of emerging mar- kets and technologies here and throughout the world. Nationally, the competitiveness of American industry is tied to the quality of American universities and educa- tional systems (Porter & Rivkin 2012) and their capacity to develop students ready to engage and innovate STEM markets. The proportion of USVI residents who have earned bachelor’s degrees (13.1%) is far lower than the US national average (19.8%; CEDS 2015), and excludes many from increased income potential. Critical efforts in the USVI to enhance STEM workforce development must investigate barriers that facilitate fewer URM stu- dents in STEM degree programs and K-12 preparation (Cummings, Lindsay & Burn, 2017). The primary goal of the Virgin Islands Institute for STEM Education Research and Practice (VI-ISERP) at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is to improve STEM education in the US Virgin Islands to develop a better prepared STEM workforce. VI-ISERP has created a strong foundation for improved STEM education in the Territory through teacher professional development, early career STEM faculty mentorship, and URM (un- derrepresented minority) undergraduate development. The Institute has worked with in-service teachers from every middle and high school in the Territory. Through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), we have created a self-sustaining culture in which teachers sup- port the use of research-based best practices, continual professional improvement and reflective practice in the classroom. Continued evidence of excellence in teach- ing and practice is demonstrated with half of the 2019 nominations for Teacher of the Year emerging from IS- ERP through the esteemed Ms. Michealrose Ravalier (Winner) and Mr. Mark Joseph Sy (Nominee). VI-ISERP has developed a stable STEM education re- search program with three STEM faculty that spear- head critical research with collaborations within UVI and at other institutions. A number of STEM Education research projects have emerged from this rich network of faculty, STEM specialists, teachers, and community partners, impacting K-12 STEM instruction, teach- er preparation and the field. Under the guidance of Dr. Nadia Monrose, Dr. Chris Plyley, and Dr. Michele Guannel, more than 40 teachers have presented educa- tional research at national conferences, lending a criti- cal perspective on pedagogy and student development. At the undergraduate level, efforts to reach all students with an enriched, place-based curriculum continues to connect students’ lives to critical scientific concepts. A proportion of incoming freshmen have engaged in ser- vice-learning projects, related to resilience, within SCI 100 classes.  Dr. Michele Guannel has guided this work Creating a Community of Believers in STEM to produce a greater number of highly trained UVI students who are ex- posed early to research and community opportunities and are equipped to educate others as community ambassadors.  Much of this work is aligned with projects of the core natural sciences research within VI-EPSCoR and expands the reach of its findings to the community. The service-learning initiative trains and engages full- and part-time faculty to implement these high-impact practices, in close partnership with organizations involved in the recovery of marine and human communities. Workforce development has also contributed to mentorship of both UVI faculty and students. Dr. Aletha Bauman spearheaded efforts to provide mentoring training for faculty members at UVI utilizing a train-the-trainer model. Models of mentorship have emerged due to faculty integration in critical physics courses to promote student engagement, retention, and STEM career identity development. These aspects of student and early career support remain a key focus for research and innovation around STEM persistence. We are building a community of believers for a culture of STEM education- al excellence. Workforce Development continues to be an active intellectual hub that fosters strategic alliances for research, networking, and innova- tion in STEM education in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. Our core product is a STEM community dedicated to developing and implementing research-based best practices in teacher preparation and training, student learning, and workforce development in STEM fields with collaboration among university faculty, K-12 educators, government agencies and indus- try. In this last year of funding, we are committed to telling the story of this critical work and the resident genius of our students. This place-based re- sponsive work reflects the strengths, needs, and cultural values of the individ- ual islands, resulting in sustainable efforts for both St. Thomas and St. Croix. By Lawanda Cummings, Ph.D., STEM Education Director Continued evidence of excellence in teaching and practice is demonstrated with half of the 2019 nominations for Teacher of the Year emerging from VI-ISERP. Above: Ms. Michealrose Ravalier accepts her award for Teacher of the Year. Ms. Ravalier is a pioneer in STEM classroom innovation and an VI-ISERP Teacher Mentor. Photo: N. Monrose Mills Below: Participants in the Youth Ocean Explorers sum- mer program are doing science in their lived world. They gain a desire for understanding marine science practice in the research process. Photo: J. Stout. 36 37 into a special, education-focused issue of the leading oceanographic journal, Limnology & Oceanography: Methods. Mr. Vernon Callwood of Charlotte Amalie High School was selected for the competitive “Journal- ist for a Day Program,” whereby scientists and educa- tors attended multiple ASLO sessions in order to write one or more storytelling pieces, in an upcoming issue of the Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin. Addition- ally Salem and Callwood produced a draft manuscript of their study, “Classroom Teachers’ Perception of the Impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on Student Be- havior in High School Classrooms in St. Th omas, Unit- ed States Virgin Islands,” currently is in preparation for publication. On a broader scale, these presentations at ASLO high- light a growing trend of VI-ISERP support. Teachers who consistently participate in trainings have seen im- provements in project implementation and profession- alism, including conference presentations and publica- tions. Overall, 29 teachers have successfully completed the Action Research course led by Dr. Nadia Monrose Mills on the St. Th omas campus, and by Dr. Chris Ply- ley on the St. Croix campus. To date, 23 teachers have presented at peer-reviewed conferences, and 18 more teachers have submitted and accepted proposals. With- in the two-week summer workshops, that have con- tributed over 4000 hours of professional development to local educators, mentor teachers lead colleagues in group sessions, and all participants present their draft lesson plans (and mini-projects) frequently throughout the workshop. Th e ASLO meeting took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, further aff ording Virgin Island educators many oppor- tunities to share curricula with our Puerto Rican peers, as well as internationally-renowned scientists, educa- tors, and policymakers. For most, if not all, participat- ing teachers, this was their fi rst presentation at a major scientifi c conference. Although many VI-ISERP teach- ers have presented their work at local conferences (UVI Research Day) and education conferences (ISEA), this forum was unique in that it included nearly 1600 par- ticipants, largely aquatic scientists. Teacher-led presentations were a mix of culturally-rele- vant lesson plans, many of which are related to aquatic sciences and other issues infl uencing the Virgin Islands. St. Croix teachers presented projects on heavy metals in fresh and brackish waters, representing a collaboration of seven educators with a Professional Learning Com- munity (PLC) that spans several local schools. Risa Gordon delivered a presentation on lionfi sh in a session on aquatic sciences management – underscoring the importance of the link between students’ families (many of whom are fi shers), education on invasive species, and how to more strongly link communities with education. Two talks showcased an ongoing collaboration between math classrooms at Charlotte Amalie High School (Ms. Tameca White, Ms. Otensia Peets-Allamby) and All Saints Cathedral School (Ms. Cleopatra Skerrit), on the topics of renewable energy and marine debris. In addition to the renewable energy project presenta- tion led by Ms. Skerrit (All Saints Cathedral School), several educators and students told their stories of re- silience among schools, teachers, and students. Th is session was a collaboration among VI-EPSCoR’s work- force development arm (VI-ISERP, Dr. Michele Guan- nel), and VI-EPSCoR’s Outreach, Education, and Di- versity’s Community Engagement Specialist, Mr. Jarvon Stout and Mr. Howard Forbes, Jr. Coordinator of Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service. Th is session kicked off with informal educator Kristina Edwards (Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resourc- es) talking about mobile lessons she conducted in local schools immediately following the hurricanes.In part- nership with Dr. Paul Jobsis, University of the Virgin Islands Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (UVI CMES) Director, these community sessions fo- cused on the hurricane impacts on the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) and possibil- ities for its future. Locally, we know that educators were on the forefront of assisting students in recovery from the hurricanes. Students were supported through hurricane-relevant projects (Skerrit et al: renewable energy projects across CAHS and All Saints), and also through testimonials of educators about the recovery process. Mr. Michael Charles (Sts. Peter and Paul) discussed his school’s col- laborative approach to restoring the campus for their students. Mr. Vernon Callwood and Ms. Yasmine Sa- lem Jubran designed and administered a Department of Education-approved survey to their fellow educators at CAHS, regarding teachers’ perceptions of the impacts of hurricanes on their students. Finally, Dr. Michele Guan- nel and two former SCI 100 students spoke of a new assignment within this UVI general education course, in which students contribute to ongoing hurricane re- covery and research. Notably, UVI sophomores George Francis (Communications) and Lovynette Brown (Ed- ucation) described their perceptions of the hurricanes and how they contributed to recovery, through working with Perfect Heart and St. Th omas Recovery Team. Of these VI-ISERP teacher presentations given at ASLO, two were presented within a session entitled “Methods in Aquatic Science Education,” that is intended to evolve VI-ISERP Teachers and Students Shine at the 2019 Aquatic Sciences Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico Th is spring (2019), VI-ISERP teachers highlighted their project-based learning units and collaborations at one of the largest international oceanographic meetings of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO). Th e STEM Education contingent to ASLO included six St. Th omas teachers from three schools (Charlotte Amalie High School, All Saints Cathedral School, and Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School), fi ve St. Croix teachers from two schools (St. Croix Educational Complex and St. Croix Central High School), informal educators (Youth Ocean Explorers) and UVI VI-ISERP faculty. File photo. By Michele Guannel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology 38 39 Approximately 25 teachers and administrators participated in the 2019 summer workshop at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Thomas campus. Their involvement in the workshop is just the be- ginning of the work that they are required to complete during the school year. For example, teachers who participate in the Action Re- search Course, taught by Dr. Nadia Monrose Mills on the St. Thomas campus, have implemented projects, conducted research on them, and have gained the presentation skills needed to participate in lo- cal and national meetings. Teachers who consistently participate in trainings have seen improvements in their in-class projects and in their own professionalism which has been demonstrated through participation in and presenting at conferences. Since January 2018, 20 teachers have had peer-reviewed research presentations at major local, national, and international profession- al meetings; to date, three teachers are co-authors on the published proceedings of one of these meetings. These projects and presenta- tion skills are developed continually over the year, with active partic- ipation growing in both districts. We are constantly looking for innovative ways to provide our teach- ers with professional development opportunities. When the Action Research Course was cancelled in the Spring of 2019 due to low en- rollment, we retooled our approach to remaining engaged with our teachers by partnering with Timothy Kentopp, a computer scientist instructor at UVI to offer four, 3-hour, training sessions on coding and instructional technology. Fourteen teachers suc- cessfully completed this training. Teacher Participation in STEM Opportunities Grow The number of St. Thomas and St. John teachers involved in professional development opportunities created by VI-IS- ERP continued to grow throughout the VI-EPSCoR Mare Nostrum grant cycle. We have seen increased participation in the annual in- tensive two-week summer workshops, the academic year Action Research Course, and, participation in additional strategic yearly training opportunities. By Nadia Monrose Mills, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Mathematics 40 41 Education, Outreach & Diversity & The MMES Program University Bound participants kayak in the Mangrove Lagoon. 42 43 Since its inception, the Education, Outreach and Di- versity (EOD) component of Mare Nostrum has op- erated with the goal of bridging the gap between the U.S. Virgin Islands’ scientific and underserved com- munities. EOD’s outreach methodology focuses on: – Increasing environmental awareness and literacy; – Increasing STEM literacy and affinity; – Promoting environmental stewardship; and – Helping build and foster a more diverse and locally driven STEM workforce within the Territory. For the duration of the Mare Nostrum grant we created and strengthened invaluable partnerships and innova- tive culturally relevant outreach techniques. Our ini- tiatives bolstered outreach in both formal and informal settings to directly connect with underserved segments of the community. In 2017, after hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the US Vir- gin Islands, the community was necessarily consumed with hurricane recovery efforts. As a result, opportuni- ties to engage audiences shifted to focus on more timely topics such as marine debris and resiliency. As an ex- ample, in the past two years, 11 elementary and middle school workshops focused on marine debris. Through relationship building meant to strengthen community partnerships and working with EPSCoR scientists on focused workshop topics, the EOD team remained committed to disseminating new and updat- ed research content in a format that made it accessible and relevant to the Virgin Islands community. Education, Outreach and Diversity By Liza Margolis, Education & Outreach Coordinator Turtle tagging events have become one of our most popular and heavily attended community engagement activities. All turtles are handled by marine biologists pursuant to NMFS permit #15809. Photo: Dan Mele. 44 45 Community Engagement Highlights MMES students Alexandra Gutting and Kathryn Cobleigh demonstrate how coral nurseries work at the 2019 Reef Rest event and encourage participants to volunteer for VI Reef Response Citizen Science SCUBA dives. Photo: E. Bryan Virtual Reality goggles captivated young participants at a recent community-fo- cused coral disease identification workshop. These future marine specialits experi- enced what it was like to SCUBA dive through a coral nursery. Photo: E. Bryan Reef Fest In partnership with the Virgin Islands Marine Adviso- ry Service (VIMAS), Reef Fest has quickly become one of our most impactful community outreach initiatives. Each year we see increased participation from local schools, restaurants, non-government organizations and community groups. There has also been a major increase in attendance. In the past two years, Reef Fest events have each averaged 700 to 800 attendees of all ages and backgrounds and sectors within the communi- ty. Our long-term goal is to continue to build upon the event’s existing framework to more effectively engage the public and increase environmental literacy, aware- ness and stewardship in the Territory. Virtual Reality The EOD team works constantly to improve and max- imize its efforts regarding effective community en- gagement. It has begun to utilize innovative, technol- ogy-based tools. Virtual reality in particular is now an important element in much of EOD’s school and com- munity–based outreach. In partnership with UVI re- searchers and entities such as VIMAS, the EOD team has started creating and publishing virtual reality tours that highlight important Mare Nostrum research. Topics have included coral reef research, coral nursery man- agement, mangrove restoration, and sea turtle conser- vation. These tools make it possible to bring marine sci- ence to a community that tends to not be conscientious of its natural resources. UB students enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of Coral World Ocean Park which included discussion on marine careers and real-life experiences in higher education. Photo: J. Stout Jason Quetel from Caribbean Oceanic Restoration and Education Foundation (C.O.R.E.) demonstrates to Youth Ocean Explorers participants how to safely handle and clean a venmonous lionfish. Photo: J. Stout Effective outreach requires the ability to share information in ways that are developed for, and palatable to, a specific audience. Throughout the course of the Mare Nostrum grant, the EOD team has developed and adapted several community outreach initiatives with this in mind. Many of these have become novel ways of broadening and extending VI-EPSCoR’s presence and reach throughout the community. University Bound VI-EPSCoR’s partnership with the University Bound (UB) program continues to expand. UB is a UVI college preparatory program for underserved youth. Initially, STEM enrichment activities numbered three per year and were conducted during the program’s summer ses- sion. As of the spring of 2019, the number of UB activ- ities has increased to 11 per year, which spans the pro- gram’s summer, spring and fall academic sessions. The diversity of STEM disciplines and STEM practi- tioners that the students are exposed to through our partnership has also grown. To date, several UB cohorts have had the opportunity to dive into topics such as oceanography, engineering, green technology, virtual reality, astronomy, physics and conservation ecology. Student surveys show that these enrichment efforts have begun to have positive impacts on students’ feel- ings towards, and understandings of STEM. Youth Ocean Explorers The VIMAS Youth Ocean Explorers (YOE) program, now in its fourth year, has seen exponential growth. In- troduced on St. Thomas, this year it expanded to include participants on St. Croix. It has also spread to a range of age groups. Thanks in part to funding and person- nel support from VI-EPSCoR and outside partners, the program has branched off to include the Junior Ocean Explorers program which runs for one week and caters to students in grades 4-6. These expansions make it pos- sible to engage and impact more underrepresented stu- dents at various points in the K-12 academic pipeline. Since the program’s inception, twenty-three YOE students have gone on to earn their Open Water SCUBA certifi- cations and are now assets for important Mare Nostrum initiatives such as Virgin Islands Reef Response. The Mangrove Restoration Project The Mangrove Restoration Project is an EPSCoR sup- ported Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VI- MAS) initiative aimed at restoring red mangrove cov- erage throughout coastal wetlands of the USVI. The program uses community volunteers to bolster efforts to collect, grow, and outplant red mangrove seedlings. By Jarvon Stout, Community Engagement Specialist 46 47 Above, MMES students Kyle Jerris and Jessica Levenson at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) Aquatic Sciences Meeting in 2019. Kyle and Jessica both received the S-STEM fellowship. Photo: L. Buckley Below, MMES student Kaliegh Schlender at Reef Fest demonstrating microplastic impacts on the environment Photo: L. Buckley Th e Master of Marine and Environmental Science Program (MMES) is sup- ported by Mare Nostrum through research assistantships (RA) and scholar- ships in STEM (S-STEM). Mare Nostrum have provided stipends, funds for conference travel and thesis research supplies, and in some cases, off ered tuition waivers to students. Th e possibility of an RA or fellowship increases the attractiveness of the MMES program to applicants and oft en seal the deal in students’ decision to attend UVI. Th e majority of students receiving RA or fellowships, have high success rate and graduate, which refl ects well on the program and University. Th e fi nancial freedom aff orded in these cases allows the student to focus on their education without having to seek employment outside of the University. Students aff orded funds for research materials are supported in terms of their thesis projects and able to pursue experimental designs they may not otherwise be able to as a fi nancially strapped graduate student. Furthermore, the ability to travel off -island to present their research, attend conferences, and network with other scien- tists is immensely valuable to our students. Outreach is extremely important to the MMES program and is one of the ways in which we are supported by Mare Nostrum. Our graduate students conduct valuable and interesting studies as a group for their capstone re- search, through internships and directed independent research classes, and thesis projects. Informing the community about this research is essential to spread knowledge and increase understanding and appreciation for sci- ence, as well as attracting future scientists or MMES students. Outreach events made possible with Mare Nostrum funding were vehicles for our stu- dents to reach members of our community for education purposes as well as marketing of the program. Th e Adobe Creative suite of soft ware is ac- cessible to MMES students thanks to VI-EPSCoR, which has elevated the presentations and outreach materials distributed by students. Once per month, the graduate students host First Fridays, an event that includes a seminar, usually by a visiting scientist, followed by a barbeque. Supplies for the barbeque up to $100 are funded through Mare Nostrum. Th is opportunity to reach beyond MMES to invite students and faculty in other departments creates a unique environment where ideas can be shared, and connections are made. Students and faculty look forward to this event as a time to socialize, learn, and strengthen the UVI community. Th anks to Mare Nostrum funding, the MMES program has been able to sup- port higher enrollment than in years previous, and we see higher student success in terms of graduation rate and achievements. Our close partner- ship with VI-EPSCoR has been fundamental to the MMES program. VI-EPSCoR Partners Closely With The MMES Program In their fi rst lab to the Magens Bay Preserve with Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes, the 2019 MMES cohort hiked the nature trail, gaining famil- iarity with terrestrial environments of the USVI, including wetlands and tropical dry forests, and the com- mon species present in each. Th ey also gained an appreciation for how past and present management and natural disturbance events, like the 2017 hurricanes, have shaped and continue to aff ect the land- scapes and ecological communities of the Preserve. Photo: KW Grimes Meet The 2019 MMES Cohort By Sophia McKenzie, MMES Coordinator Also at Magens Bay, students sur- veyed ghost crab burrows as part of the Th e Marine Biodiversity Obser- vation Network Pole to Pole project which is collecting those data and associated environmental data for beaches from Atlantic Canada to the tip of South America. It is the fi rst time such data have been col- lected for the territory. (http://www. marinebon.org/pole-to-pole.html) Photo: KW Grimes Choose Adventure! Th e MMES Program accepts ap- plications for Fall 2020 enrollment through March 1, 2020. If you are interested in joining the team and work with world-class biologists on internationally signifi cant topics go to https://www.uvi.edu/research/ center-for-marine-environmen- tal-studies/research/ By Kristin Wilson Grimes, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Watershed Ecology 48 49 I oft en surprise people with my undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Arts in biology with a minor in marine sci- ences, coupled with a second degree in communica- tions. It all seems to shout “Indecision!”, particularly as I am now in the Masters of Marine and Environmental Studies program at the University of the Virgin Islands. However, it is increasingly apparent that the scientifi c community is in dire need of skilled communicators. Scientists oft en see their work caught in the cycle of researching, publishing in peer reviewed journals, and then recirculation into the scientifi c community. Th is The Intersection of Science & Communication cycle results in the loss of an important audience: the general public. Th is long-standing closed loop is now being re-examined by both passionate advocates within the science community and trained communications specialists, all understanding that without communica- tion, research cannot become action. In order for science communication to truly fl ourish, it is essential we foster scientists who are communica- tors and communicators who are scientists. My person- al mission is to help scientists learn how to bring their work beyond the peer-review process, simultaneously helping communicators dig deeply into the sea of re- search information to fi nd the crucial detail. Empower- ment of both sides is essential because the stronger the overlap, the more powerful a message becomes. I recently had the opportunity to work with VI-EPSCoR as a student assistant, a position which provided me with the opportunity to continue this journey towards creating the bridge between research and science com- munication. My job description was as broad as both of my degrees - take scientifi c material and reshape it into interesting, understandable language for consumption by the general public. I explored what specifi c research papers were really about, distilled what scientists are doing with that information, and then most important- ly determine how to bring it forward so that the whole world knows as well. My real hope is to encourage and inspire others to take a shared interest in both science and communications, and recognize them as fi elds that, while separate, are uniquely intertwined. If the work I and others are doing can make one person stop to and consider how research aff ects them every day (and maybe refuse that plastic straw!), it is a success. If one researcher takes the time to explain ocean acidifi cation to wide-eyed elementary schoolers, that is success. From our knowledge, from our research, and from our community, action happens through connection, and so continuing to connect is more than a career, it’s a passion, and for me, it’s a life- long dream. Joseph Townsend, second year Masters of Marine & Environmental Studies candi- date and author of this essay makes science learning fun for children at a Depart- ment of Planning and Natural Resources Science Saturday event. Photo provided by the author. MMES graduate student Zola Roper began a 2-month internship with the NOAA Marine Debris Program at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD in Septem- ber, 2019. While there, she worked closely with individ- uals in this program in communications and outreach, aligning with her career goals. Th is non-academic in- ternship was funded through a supplemental award to our current NSF INCLUDES DDLP (Award #1649300), through the DCL 18-102. Zola also gave her fi rst scientifi c talk at a profession- al meeting. Her talk is entitled, “Trends in US Virgin Islands marine debris from a historical, citizen sci- ence-collected, territorial dataset (1988-2016). Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes, Research Technician Al- lie Durdall, and Zola participated in a 1.5 day, USVI Marine Debris Emergency Response Workshop led by NOAA’s Marine Debris Program at Coral World August 20-21, 2019. Territorial partners and other non-profi ts and businesses participated in the workshop providing input on the draft plan to better coordinate responses to marine debris created by future acute events like hurri- canes and tsunamis. Current MMES student Zola Roper guides young Reef Fest attendees in a marine debris game intended to engage and educate on the causes of and solutions to the marine debris epidemic experienced here in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Photo: E. Bryan MMES candidate Dan Mele and OCOVI project director Roy Watlington prepare a NOAA-AOML glider for launch. Photo: L. Buckley MMES Student Zola Roper Interns with NOAA MMES Student Dan Mele Interns with OCOVI Dan Mele (above left ), is the University of the Virgin Islands Masters of Marine and Environmental Studies student intern for Ocean and Coastal Observing of the Virgin Islands (OCOVI). Roy Watlington (above right), is the OCOVI project director and retired Chancellor of UVI. Dan is creating an informative video of the glider missions. Together they prepare the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Atlantic Oceano- graphic and Meterological Laboratory’s (NOAA-AO- ML) SG688 glider for launch at the UVI MMES dock on August 19, 2019. Th is AOML glider will maneuver to a position south of St. Croix and will follow a trackline through the hurri- cane season as a part of a larger array of gliders already deployed in the Virgin Islands by OCOVI in coopera- tion with Caribbean Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing (CariCOOS), Rutgers, NOAA-AO- ML, and the U. S. Navy to provide critical oceanograph- ic data. Follow along to watch the gliders and look at the data at the Integrated Ocean Observing System glider data center https://gliders.ioos.us/map/ By Joseph Townsend, MMES Candidate in the Smith Lab MMES Student Highlights Jose Toě send 50 Th e Virgin Islands Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (VI-EPSCoR) was awarded $20,000,000 by the National Science Foundation to implement the project Mare Nostrum Caribbean: Stewardship through Strategic Re- search and Workforce Development. Mare Nostrum Caribbean Th is grant presents a unique opportunity to address the implications of climate change for insular social-ecologi- cal systems. Small island communities suff er from a suite of similar problems: limited natural resources, narrow economic base, emigration of young professionals seeking better economic opportunities, heavy reliance on outside entities for goods and services, and the ever-increasing threat of global climate change. In the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), nearshore marine ecosystems, especially coral reefs, are key to its economic viability, but they are also especially vulnera- ble to both land- and water- based human activities and oceanographic-climatic disturbances. To address this vulnerability, VI-EPSCoR focuses on developing both human and infrastructure capacity to conduct marine research to improve both management and stewardship of these ecosystems. Areas Of Research Among our diff erent research areas, the primary goal of our coral reef research program is to integrate physical, biological and human factors to explain the process of eco- system dynamics, disease, and demographics (the 3Ds). An integral component of this research is our investment in emerging areas of research (oceanography, watershed dynamics, and human dimensions). Th is allows the USVI to synthesize knowledge about the various factors (includ- ing those aff ected by climate change and human impact) that control degradation, tolerance, and resilience of Ca- ribbean coral reef ecosystems, so that the best manage- ment strategies can be identifi ed. Additionally, as we capi- talize on the unique human, and natural resources and the location of the USVI, we will create a world class research destination producing innovative exploratory approaches and global leadership in environmental research. 2 John Brewers Bay | St. Th omas, VI 00802 340-693-1422 | www.viepscor.org