Melissa Naugle is a third-year PhD candidate at Southern Cross University based in Coffs Harbour. She works with the Reef Restoration and Adaptation program to understand heat tolerance in corals, with implications for our reefs under climate change. She uses genomics to identify top candidates for coral breeding restoration programs, which may be used to help reefs keep pace with their warming environment. Prior to her PhD, Melissa received a MS from California State University Monterey Bay where she studied corals in American Samoa, and a BS in Environmental Science and Policy from University of Maryland.
