João Monteiro
2012 Research Fellow
Bio
João studied for his degree in the Azores where he had the opportunity to start scuba diving and to volunteer with the Marine Biology group early in his studies. After completing his degree, he worked with a Whale Watching company as a guide and biologist for a short period of time. He then moved to Madiera where he worked as a biologist in the characterization and management plan development of a Marine Protected Area. His passion for diving made him continue his training to Divemaster. In 2006, he followed his research interests and applied to a PhD Scholarship. Then in 2007, João started his PhD research on coral communities in Cabo Verde where he had the opportunity to work closely with an expert on Symbiodinium diversity (Dr. Todd LaJeunesse at Pennsylvania State University) and live in Cabo Verde for about 10 months. During this time, he did his field work relying on collaboration with local dive centers (as there was no scientific operational capacity from local research institutions). His first contact with the Living Oceans Foundation was in 2008 (ICRS at Fort Lauderdale) and has followed our work ever since. To be part of GRE is a unique opportunity for João to continue his research and take it across a broad geographic scope. His passion for corals and the underwater realm makes him prefer spending his time inside the water (rather than outside) and takes second place in his life only to his family.
