When I returned to teaching in 2014 I knew I wanted to do some sort of research, but what do you do?  This idea rumbled in the back of my mind for awhile as I reacquainted myself with the Pacific Northwest and Bellevue College.  Then during the summer of 2017 I watched the film “Chasing Corals” on Netflix.  It was emotional for me.  Watch it if you haven’t!  

It was shocking for me to learn that 90% of the coral reefs in the Florida Keys had disappeared during my lifetime.  I grew up in Orlando, Florida and went to graduate school at USF in Tampa, Florida.  I simply could not believe this had happened.  I knew then, that I had to focus my work on corals and coral reefs.  In the process I am learning much and meeting many new people.  The photo on this page is by Laura James, Beneath the Looking Glass, LLC, Cabo Pulmo Shore, Baja California Sur

You might not know this but we do have corals up here – cold water coral communities deep down and mostly soft corals in Puget Sound.  And now, at Bellevue College, we have coral growing to enhance the learning experience of our students.  

Welcome to our Virtual Ocean adventure!

Prof Nancy