Will Barnes

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Will is an early career scientist originally hailing from Cornwall in England, with a background in coral reef ecology and marine biology. He is a current PhD candidate at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, investigating the structuring role of coral reef complexity, hydrodynamics and oxygen distribution on coral reef communities. Having begun his scientific career in the field of molecular biology and gene-based medicines, Will transitioned to a future underwater in 2017 and is fortunate enough to have worked on a wide range of projects since then. 

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Much of Will's research experience was gained working through CARMABI Research Centre in Curaçao, where he completed several internships during studies for his Masters degree at The University of Amsterdam. Quantifying nutrient and energy fluxes of coral reef organisms through in situ incubations and tracking the effect of recently deployed Coral Reef Ark structures on the surrounding seawater are a few examples of the ongoing research he has been a part of. Recently, Will has begun to work with Reef Renewal Foundation Curaçao as a consultant scientist, aiming to begin to integrate photogrammetry-based methods to improve coral nursery monitoring and assist with ongoing restoration efforts.

 

When he is not in his office on the island of Texel, or carrying out fieldwork in the Caribbean, Will can be found bobbing hopefully in the ocean on a long piece of foam and fibreglass, exploring nature above and below the water, or making somewhat musical sounds on a battered old guitar.

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This will be an exciting presentation not to miss! Stay tuned as we determine our scheduling for the first week of October.

 

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