CATHERINE KIM

PhD Candidate in Coral Reef Ecology

Catherine is currently finishing her PhD in the coral reef ecology of Timor-Leste at The University of Queensland Australia. She has been to Timor-Leste four times for her research since 2014. As a part of the XL Catlin Seaview Survey, the team collected over 20,000 coral reef images for analysis using a specialized camera on a scooter. Catherine analyzed these data and assessed potential drives of coral reef community composition. She also utilized data collected by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Timor-Leste funded by the US Agency for International Development and conducted her own coral health surveys before and after the third global bleaching event in 2016 – 2017. Most recently, Catherine was the 2019 Scientific Exploration Society’s Elodie Sandford Explorer for amateur photography investigating Tara Bandu, or customary law, as a means of marine conservation in Timor-Leste.