Coral Team

Duke Restore’s Coral Team provides pro bono technical and capacity-building assistance to coral reef restoration projects globally. Our services include grant writing, GIS, data processing and analysis, curriculum development, market research, graphic design, and more. We are currently partnered with four organizations across North America, South America, and the Caribbean and are always open to new collaborations. These projects also assist Duke undergraduate and graduate students in their professional development.

The Coral Team works closely with leading restoration partners including Coral Arks, Reef Revival, and The Nature Conservancy. Through these collaborations, students support applied coral conservation by developing GIS mapping products, biodiversity assessments, and spatial analyses that inform restoration planning and monitoring. The team additionally contributes to emerging business and biodiversity credit frameworks, helping partners explore scalable financing mechanisms that align reef restoration with conservation outcomes.

Furthermore, Duke RESTORE is launching its first-ever spring break field experience in Miami, providing students with hands-on exposure to coral restoration efforts and direct engagement with practitioners in the field. A partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation is providing the opportunity to gain hands-on coral restoration experience.

Our Team

Our Partnerships

Current Projects

Process and analyze video footage of fish populations in restoration sites in the Galapagos, Ecuador
GIS mapping projects for restoration sites in the Galapagos, Ecuador
GIS mapping project in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy mapping coral overtime in the Caribbean
Conduct a baseline coral survey in Beaufort, North Carolina
Working with Ty Roach and Coral Arks to assist in business and market research
Planning and running a spring break coral restoration trip to Miami to collaborate with The Coral Restoration Foundation to get experience in the field (coral nursery and restoration work)
Plan workshops and presentations with experts in the coral restoration field to facilitate knowledge sharing and career mentorship
Participate and help organize and duke RESTORE panel for Duke Ocean week

Past Projects

Created scientific illustrations for merchandise for the Annual Acropora Festival in Cozumel, Mexico, hosted by Corales Vivos
Create social media and educational content for reef restoration in the Galapagos
Conduct market research and create social media content for a bioenzymatic cement startup aimed at reef restoration projects
Spring field course on coral survey and restoration techniques for Duke undergraduate students at the Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina
Maintain a temperate water coral tree nursery in Beaufort, NC for student education

(Art by Rebecca Cox)