The Allen Coral Atlas: A New Map for Coral Conservation

OneNOAA Science Seminar Series
(Note: This webinar will be offered again at 4pm ET, on Webex; contact  Robin Garcia  for login info.)

Title:
The Allen Coral Atlas: A New Map for Coral Conservation

Speaker(s):
– Brianna Bambic, Allen Coral Atlas Field Engagement Manager, National Geographic Society
– Helen Fox, PhD, Allen Coral Atlas Field Engagement Lead, National Geographic Society
– Paulina Gerstner, Project Manager, Vulcan, Inc.

When:  Thursday, May 14, 2020, 12-1pm ET (Note: This webinar will be offered again at 4pm ET,    
              on Webex; contact Robin Garcia  for that webinar information.

Where: Via webinar; see Webinar Access below.
Sponsor(s): 
NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) science seminar coordinator Tracy Gill, Dan Dorfman, Marine Spatial Ecologist for NOAA NCCOS, and NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program Communications Director, Robin Garcia.

Remote Access:
Please register at:https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/allencoralatlas/event/registration.html
After registering, you will get a confirmation email with a link to the webinar. You can test your ability to use Adobe Connect at the following link:
https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
Users should use either google, IE or Edge on Windows or Safari if using a Mac. Audio is over the computer, so adjust volume on your computer speakers or headset. Questions will be addressed in the chat window. This webinar will be recorded, and made accessible upon request. Email Tracy Gill with questions.

Abstract:
The Allen Coral Atlas (http://allencoralatlas.org) partnership uses high-resolution satellite imagery and advanced analytics to map and monitor the world’s coral reefs, creating unprecedented global coverage. As the Atlas develops maps of benthic habitat and reef geomorphology regionally and then globally, the field engagement component of the partnership seeks to identify and enable users of the Atlas to achieve conservation results (e.g., through marine spatial planning or other efforts). In this webinar, field engagement team members will share the vision behind the Atlas, review the technology being used to create it, and introduce the tool’s functionality.

The Atlas is funded primarily by Vulcan Inc. (founded by the late Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen); partners include Planet, ASU’s Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, UQ’s Remote Sensing Research Center (RSRC), which leads mapping, and the National Geographic Society, which leads field engagement.

Bio(s):
Brianna Bambic manages the Field Engagement team for the Allen Coral Atlas. With a coral reef restoration background, she was an Independent Researcher for 7 years that culminated in a virtual reality experience of Half Moon Caye National Monument, Belize with a National Geographic Explorer Grant, helping communicate science to the public. Brianna received her MS in Natural Resource Management from the University of Akureyri, Iceland in 2019. Her expertise includes coastal and marine management, community engagement, and outreach with > 700 dives, and a past geographic focus of the Caribbean.

Dr. Helen Fox is a coral reef ecologist by training, with > 20 years’ experience working at the boundary of science and conservation, with expertise in Indonesia and the Coral Triangle. Her work includes investigating links between marine protected area (MPA) management and governance, ecological impacts, and human well-being; and coral reef recovery and rehabilitation from blast fishing. She is currently transitioning from Field Engagement Lead for the Allen Coral Atlas at the National Geographic Society to Conservation Science Director at the Coral Reef Alliance. She has received numerous grants and awards, authored >40 scientific publications, logged > 1,000 dives, and once lived underwater for 10 days in the Aquarius habitat.

Paulina Gerstner is the Project Manager for the Allen Coral Atlas. In her role, she directs this multi-disciplinary team spanning several organizations involved in the partnership, as well as the Vulcan engineering team responsible for delivering the Atlas website. Before the birth of the Atlas in 2017, Paulina managed several of Vulcan’s impact investments in rural electrification, transforming lives through scalable approaches to development. Prior to Vulcan, Paulina worked in several nonprofits supporting women’s rights, international development, and education for global citizenship in her hometown of Boston, MA.

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(Brianna Bambic, Allen Coral Atlas Field Engagement Manager, National Geographic Society, Helen Fox, PhD, Allen Coral Atlas Field Engagement Lead, National Geographic Society; and Paulina Gerstner, Project Manager, Vulcan, Inc.)