Despite all odds, coral reefs are thriving at depths of 100 – 300 feet right here in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Recent discoveries by scientists at the University of the Virgin Islands have shown that there are a great number of magnificent deep coral reefs in the area, particularly at the south side of St. Thomas on the Grammanik Bank and reaching out toward Culebra. 

Great Salt Pond Bay on St. Croix’s south-east coast is a salt pond located within the St. Croix East End Marine Park, and one of just a few mangrove ecosystems on the island. Alarmingly, it supports the only remaining juvenile fish mangrove habitat on the south side of the island! While all mangrove nurseries are essential, St. Croix’s remote location makes this one particularly important.

As an NSF funded program designed to stimulate research within the US Virgin Islands Territory, VI-EPSCoR provided funding for five mini-grants in 2017. 

One of VI-EPSCoR’s primary goals is to grow a USVI community that is scientifically and mathematically literate and engaged in issues that are scientific and environmental in nature. Our goal is realized when local scientists are able to stay in the USVI and work in their field because the employment opportunities exist.

Dr. Sennai Habtes, Research Assistant Professor of Biological Oceanography at The University of the Virgin Islands is an accidental role model and success story of VI-EPSCoR’s efforts.