The Next Swell Grant Winners
Blake - Graduate Student at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Blake’s thesis research focuses on describing food webs around tropical Pacific Islands, particularly how coastal environments like coral reefs are trophically connected to the deep sea. He uses compound-specific stable isotope analysis and DNA metabarcoding to identify coastal zooplankton in the diets of deep-sea micronekton (small fishes, shrimps, and squids) around the Hawaiian Islands. This information will be used to inform coastal and deep sea conservation policy, as well as to better parameterize ecosystem models that are used to predict catch rates of bigeye tuna and swordfish.
Blake was awarded a grant to pay for indexing costs in the DNA metabarcoding process that will be used to identify distinctly reef-associated zooplankton from the Hawaiian Islands!
Corey - Graduate Student at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Corey’s thesis research focuses on describing the dynamics and residency patterns of reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) at two aggregation sites off the Kona coast of Hawai'i Island, using community-sourced data and modeling techniques. Additionally, she leads the O'ahu manta project, where she has begun to uncover important insights about this previously understudied population. Through aerial surveys with drone technology, Corey is gathering crucial data on manta rays around O'ahu to inform future research and conservation efforts.
Corey was awarded a grant for the purchase of a drone remote controller which will directly help out with her aerial survey work as a part of the O'ahu manta project!