Ben has been captivated by coral reefs since his first underwater forays as an Island School student on Eleuthera, Bahamas. He is keenly interested in coral reef social-ecological systems and understanding how human health and well-being intersects with coral reef conservation outcomes. After graduating with a BA in Biology from Swarthmore College in 2018, Ben explored these interests through a yearlong Watson Fellowship investigating the consequences of coral reef decline for coastal communities in Australia, Micronesia, Palau, Tuvalu, and Belize, conducting over 100 interviews with scientists, fishermen, tour operators, and others. He has since spent ~5 years in the non-profit sector, primarily as Program Coordinator on the Conservation Science Team at the Coral Reef Alliance. There, he has supported research that aims to enable the identification (and subsequent inclusion in conservation planning processes) of climate-resilient coral reefs using remote sensing data. At URI, he is excited to deepen his understanding of social and ecological climate change adaptation in coral reef systems.

Education:

B.A. Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, 2018

Ph.D. Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Projected 2029

Contact Information:

Email: bencharo@gmail.com