Dr. Keisha Bahr is the Chair for Coral Reef and Ocean Health at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies and an Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She earned her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is a marine ecologist specializing in the physiological responses of calcifying organisms to multiple stressors. With over a decade of experience, she collaborates with academic, government, and non-governmental institutions to develop strategies for restoring, preserving, and managing marine ecosystems.
Having witnessed multiple coral bleaching events and the loss of entire reefs, Dr. Bahr recognized that traditional science communication—primarily through publications—often fails to drive meaningful change. She realized that the future of coral reefs depends on the scientific community’s ability to effectively engage the public. However, many graduate students and researchers lack formal communication training. This realization has driven her mission to improve science communication, ensuring research translates into impactful conservation and management efforts.