Welcome to Coral Currents! Weekly podcasts brought to you by a young woman in STEM. I started this series because I wanted to learn more about corals myself. I realized I was stuck reading only the research papers that felt most relatable to me, without connecting with the broader community or diving into the politics and bigger picture around reefs. So, with this podcast, I hope to connect with people in the field and maybe open up new opportunities I wouldn't have found online.  Join me!


Check out my website and submit content suggestions, ask questions, and check out the future guest lineup: 
https://kayleeshae97.wixsite.com/coralcurrentspodcast

Introduction to Coral Currents

Explore coral reefs with Gavin Miller, Global Reef’s Scientific Program Director, in Part 1 of a two-part Coral Currents episode! This episode unpacks Gavin’s unique path and Koh Tao, Thailand’s conservation efforts. 

Expect:

- Gavin’s journey from psychology to marine biology, blending both for marine conservation

- Artificial reefs and their role in sustaining coral ecosystems with a value beyond dollar signs 

- Koh Tao’s educational tourism, where Gavin’s months-long diving programs teach reef ecosystems, inspiring youth and visitors

- Local impacts and why education is vital for thriving reefs 

Though younger, Koh Tao’s vibrant reefs are a research hotspot—more in Part 2’s research dive 

Submit questions at:  Coralcurrentspodcast.com

Coral Reefs & Psychology Part 1: Gavin Miller’s Journey in Koh Tao

See sources mentioned in this episode at the bottom of this description. 


Follow this link to Coral Currents Podcast's website! See future special guests and submit questions for them or me, Shae (for the possibility of having suggestions/questions aired on the next cast)! ⁠https://kayleeshae97.wixsite.com/coralcurrentspodcast⁠


Meet our co-host, Jackson Hoeke - A fellow coral fanatic and a marine and aquatic scientist. He holds a Master’s in marine science with a background in marine invertebrates and invasive species. Our history as young scientists goes way back, to the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology at Dr. Young's deep sea lab. Jackson is also a phenomenal marine illustrator - and guess what ?! - He is our fantastic cover art creator!


Dive into the basics of coral reefs! We discuss the broad topics of taxonomy and reef formation. In the following podcast, we get microscopic and touch on their symbiotic relationship with Zooxanthellae algae! 


These first two episodes are a great way to get accustomed to the language we will frequently use to dissect interesting coral reef-related research papers down the line.


Join our email list by sending a quick email to ⁠coralcurrentspodcast.com⁠! Once a week, emails remind you of our future guest list and recap/highlight our episode content! 


Sources:
Corals are thousands of individuals, called polyps: Barnes, R.D. 1987. Invertebrate Zoology; Fifth Edition. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. pp. 92-96, 127-134, 149-162.

Carbon Dating:⁠Dating corals, knowing the Ocean. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (2019, February 26). https://www.whoi.edu/know-your-ocean/ocean-topics/ocean-life/coral/dating-corals-knowing-the-ocean/ ⁠

Coral Mucus Defense Mechanisms: ⁠Anithajothi, R., Duraikannu, K., Umagowsalya, G., & Ramakritinan, C. M. (2014, August 18). The presence of biomarker enzymes of selected Scleractinian corals of Palk Bay, Southeast Coast of India. BioMed research international. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4151617/#:~:text=The%20recognition%20of%20the%20coral,situated%20at%20southeast%20of%20India. ⁠

 "Corals first appeared around 535 million years ago": Turgeon, D.D. and R.G. Asch. In Press. The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States. Washington D.C.; NOAA.

Ep. 01, Coral Superheroes, Tiny Builders of the Reef

Coral Currents Podcast is designed to connect with coral specialists, and keep scientists in the field up to date with the latest coral restoration techniques and technologies. It’s also meant to give outsiders an inside look, focusing specifically on coral restoration techniques and biology—a niche area that hasn’t been explored fully in other podcasts.

Coral Reefs & Psychology Part 1: Gavin Miller’s Journey in Koh Tao

Coralcurrentspodcast

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