Joseph A. Venuti Marine Science & Conservation Scholarship

Growing up in Hawaii, I have always revered and respected the sea. My father has been a diver my entire life and never failed to reiterate to me the sense of awe and wonder he encountered in the ocean. My early life primed me to become a marine biologist; the question was not whether I would go into marine science, but what area of marine science I would focus on. A wonderful series of events has resulted in me focusing on coral reefs. I am investigating the morphophysiology and resilience to stress in an endemic Hawaiian octocoral species. Sarcothelia edmondsoni has been noted to be the most common octocoral on Hawaiian reefs and is abundant in areas heavily impacted by human populations and was therefore deemed a bioindicator of anthropogenic stress. It has increased in abundance following freshwater flooding events and resists thermal bleaching. Many corals eject their symbiotic algae, or zooxanthellae, during prolonged periods of stress and bleach. However, S. edmondsoni appears to retain its symbionts and resist bleaching. One study noted that disturbance of a congeneric species reliably resulted in the movement of zooxanthellae from the polyp to the stolon, and from the gastrodermal tissue to the lumen in a process termed “symbiont migration”. Failure to understand the physiological limits of this endemic species threatens the long-term stability of Hawaiian reefs. As such, I will investigate the capacity for symbiont migration as a response to stress in the endemic soft coral. In addition to focusing on the physiological mechanisms related to this species’ bleaching response, I intend to investigate the taxonomic composition of its symbiotic algae community. Moreover, S. edmondsoni has two distinct morphotypes which occupy different habitat regimes but are genetically indistinguishable. It is possible that these morphs are in fact ecomorphs that are being selected and diverging as a response to the environment. I will determine whether the morphotypes respond similarly to stress and whether they demonstrate similar symbiotic algae community compositions. This is very exciting as it will allow us to understand a lot more about the morphophysiology of this endemic species. Coral reefs are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet and one of the most threatened. Every day I am blown away by the diversity and the sheer complexity of corals, as well as reef ecosystems. The conversation surrounding the persistence of corals into the next century is controversial, with half of the workers I talk to believing it will work out and half having given up. Despite moments of extreme ecological grief and depression, I believe my efforts would still best be focused on reefs. There’s a lot of knowing that still needs to be done. I believe that the best way I can give back to my community and help protect our natural world is through research and application. It is my hope that any new information can then be used to inform practices or develop techniques that may delay or prevent bleaching in reef-building corals. It is my dream to help protect and preserve what’s left. Critically, I will not limit myself to corals but take what I’ve learned and apply it to the whole system. I have grown up in Hawaii and have spent much of my free time in our clear waters, chasing waterfalls, caves, and incredible mountaintop views. Similarly, I have seen the amount of nature continuously reduced as the island gets more developed. My dream is to live and breathe nature, to go to work in the field, and to absorb the world around me in order to understand and protect it.

As a graduating high school senior on the cusp of starting college, it feels like the world is wide open – truly an amazing feeling. I will be starting my undergraduate education in the fall, and majoring in Marine and Aquatic Sciences at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. I fell in love with oceans, ocean life, and all things water when I was young. I would visit our local zoo’s aquarium often, starting when I was just six months old. My mom tells me as I grew, so too did my interest. When I was just a toddler, we took my first trip to the ocean, and I think I fell in love with the water even before I can remember. Every chance I had to experience the ocean and the creatures living in it made me more and more interested in learning as much as I could. I was thrilled when I was able to take my first snorkeling trip in the Florida Keys, and thus began a decades’ long tradition of going annually. We’d got to the same spots often enough, and as we continued our tradition, I realized that the reefs were less and less populated by sea creatures each time we went, the coral looked different and the situation seemed to get more notable with each visit. By age ten, I could see that the coral reefs were in serious danger, and a fire began to burn in me. It was then I decided my life needed to be in service to the oceans, and to saving the reefs specifically. I continued learning about oceans and the environment in my teens, volunteering for the Cincinnati Zoo. I also chose a high school that I knew upon visiting was the place for me… the aquariums in the biology wing called my name. Starting in my freshman year and continuing today, I serve as an officer in the Marine Biology and Zoology clubs. I care for the creatures in the aquariums, assist a local aquatic shop in caring for our tanks, am currently training other students in proper aquarium care and maintenance to continue my work. Last summer, I had the opportunity to take a marine biology class in Hawaii and it was probably the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I scuba dived with whale sharks, I learned more than I could have imagined, and it all just reinforced that my passions are true and I am exactly where I should be. I would like to focus on reef sustainability in my collegiate career, specifically with regards to invertebrate creatures, such as crustaceans, who call reefs home. I am looking forward to being with experts and people who are also interested in this area, learning from them, and identifying what steps I can take, what I need to do, to help support the health and livelihood of these animals and their homes. I cannot say for certain what that will be right now –that is why my world feels wide open right now – there are many possibilities for me to embrace and do what I know I need to do. I am excited to help care for the creatures in OU’s aquariums, to assist in furthering existing and new research. After my undergraduate work is complete, I plan on pursuing my Master’s and Ph.D. in marine and aquatic science. Ultimately, I would love to be a professor and have the opportunity to conduct research and continue to learn to help protect and sustain the coral reefs and those who call them home.