In her second year of study for her Masters of Marine & Environmental Studies degree at the University of the Virgin Islands, Zola Roper’s thesis focuses on marine debris in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a pervasive and important local environmental issue. How did she get here?

Fourth in the world for publications on mesophotic coral ecosystems, scientists at The University of the Virgin Islands were invited Discussion Leaders at the prestigious Gordon Research Conference Mesophotic Coral Reef Ecosystems. This invitation is a tremendous honor, recognizing these scientists as leaders in their field.