Everything's coming up corals

Ross Cunning, who will be joining Baker’s lab this fall, grew up in Indianapolis, Ind., and graduated in 2007 from Duke University with a degree in Biology and Environmental Science. For the past year he has been studying the microbial ecology of corals at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Fla., with Dr. Kim Ritchie. At The Rosenstiel School, Cunning will be studying the interactions between corals and their microbial symbiont communities in order to understand how differences in these symbioses affect the ecology of corals, especially in relation to climate change.

These prestigious student awards come on the heels of Baker’s recent recognition as a 2008 Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation. Baker is helping to develop novel and groundbreaking techniques to enhance the thermal tolerance of corals, and help them to survive dangerously warming oceans around the world. Baker earned his Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the University of Miami in 1999. His initial breakthrough discovery that reef corals may be able to withstand climate change by switching algal partners was published in the journal Nature and hailed by Discover magazine as one of the "Top 100 Science Stories of 2001”.

The year 2008 has been designated the International Year of the Reef by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). The Rosenstiel School supports this worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs, as well as the threats to their sustainability. The campaign will consist of activities designed to educate and motivate people to protect our reefs throughout the year and beyond. For more information, please visit www.iyor.org

About the Rosenstiel School

Founded in the 1940s, the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, please visit www.rsmas.miami.edu