This interview was conducted by GoAbroad’s founder, Troy Peden.
You studied abroad on the University of Georgia Classics Program in Rome. Why are you not a Humanities Professor?
Science has always been my true passion, but I am a strong believer in the concept of liberal arts education. I find that by exposing oneself to a variety of experiences is the only way to truly understand yourself and how you want to contribute to the world.
What led you to study abroad in the first place?
I have always loved to travel. In fact my first study abroad experience was at the age of 13, when I traveled to Honduras with a group from the Univ. of North Carolina at Wilmington for my first course in Marine Biology.
Dr. Gretchen enjoying sea life!
How did your time in Italy and your semester at Oxford impact your decision to focus on Marine Studies?
At Oxford, my courses focused on cellular biology and genetics. It was intense and was an amazing opportunity to understand the educational system in another country and how they approach learning.
I wouldn’t say this experience necessarily helped me focus my career goals on marine science, but it definitely solidified my decision not to go into medical research. I also took the opportunity at Oxford to join the crew team, which was one of the highlights of my time there and truly made me feel as though I was integrated into the college.
My time in Italy was after I’d finished my PhD. I was already keenly focused on marine biology and my work there centered around solitary corals that live along the coast of Italy. The academic culture in Italy was dramatically different from anything I’d experienced before.
So many espresso throughout the day! But also the antiquity of the building where my office and lab were housed took my breath away every day, and I have to admit it was probably my classics studies in Rome that helped me appreciate those details. And the food…..oh the food!
You earned your PhD at Harvard, no question here, I just like to say that. I dropped out of a PhD program at the University of Colorado. So we probably have a lot in common.
Like any modest Harvard graduate, I just say, I went to school in Boston ;)
Students are often exhausted at the news of global warming and climate catastrophe. Is there hope? What do you recommend to young people who want to make a difference?
There is always hope! We have to believe that. We’ve made a mess and we can fix it. It won’t happen overnight, but it will take a whole lot of people making small decisions everyday that hopefully overtime can turn the tide.
I try to focus on things my research can do to help coral reefs adapt and survive, and make an effort to give them the best chance to survive. In my everyday life I try to remember to do the small things that can have an impact, like eat less meat, use my reusable water bottle, use cloth bags, etc.
And as a company CCMI aims to do its part, by using solar energy to reduce our carbon footprint, and having composting toilets to eliminate waste. As global citizens we all need to make these conscious decisions, everyday.
Dr. Gretchen in scuba diving gear as she’s about to jump off a boat.
Marine health seems to be an indicator of all climate challenges, are there positive indicators that the coral reefs will survive?
That’s a tough one. Coral reefs are the canary in the coal mine. They are certainly bearing the brunt of climate change and in a way that makes it glaringly visible. There will be winners, and there will be losers. I like to say that coral reefs will survive, but they probably won’t look the same way they look today.
You have studied reproductive health among corals, will science and your work make a difference?
There is a concerted effort among coral reef scientists to assist the adaptive capacity of corals to temperature change. Several groups, such as SECORE, are tirelessly working to use our knowledge of coral reproduction along with our understanding of coral symbiosis to produce corals with increased thermal tolerance while still maintaining genetic diversity. This type of work will play a critical role in the future of coral reefs.
What does your project Marine Impact do and how can someone get involved?
Marine Impact helps provide students and young adults an opportunity to participate in marine science at active research stations. We aim to provide study abroad, volunteer, and internship programs that offer an immersive experience and expose passionate individuals to the work that’s being done to understand and protect the marine environment.
Through these transformative programs we hope to train the next generation of marine scientists and foster environmental stewardship.
Your project is based in the Cayman Islands, is there a cultural component? What does a typical day at the research center look like?
Our facility is located on a tiny island with only about 100 permanent residents. It's a tight community with a small town vibe. Life at the station is dynamic, with every day being different than the last.
One day we might be cleaning the coral nursery, the next day we’re counting fish in the seagrass meadow, and the next we’re in the lab entering data or preparing a public talk. As a group we also participate in community actions such as organizing beach cleans or invasive lionfish removals.
And we host weekly seminars open to the public, which all of our interns and students participate in, either by giving the talk or leading the discussion. It’s a great way to ensure that the work we do gets to the people that care.
Do students, interns, volunteers at the research center need Marine Sciences backgrounds? Who can participate?
Each program we offer is tailored to folks with different experience levels and backgrounds. No matter what your educational level, there is a program for you, but we typically focus our programs around individuals that have recently graduated from high school to those in graduate school.
Give us something optimistic to cling to during this hottest summer of our life, while Greenland melts and Londoners seek cooler climates?
Well, I guess I can point to the fact that the coral reef in Little Cayman has held steady with roughly 24% coral cover since 1999, making it one of the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean and serving as a Hope Spot.
