Mason Merillat

Hello, I am a M.Sc. Biochemistry here at Arizona State University and am aiming my research here to deepen the world's understanding of how the ocean's most vital ecosystems are affected by the ongoing climate crisis. Outside of science, I love hiking, fitness, snowboarding, playing my guitar, and spending time with friends and family.

Towards the end of my bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences (Conservation Biology & Ecology), I found myself becoming more and more obsessed with getting a better grasp on how I can give back to the world that has become so damaged by humankind. All of my education in school and world experiences kept pointing to the coral reefs. My biggest inspiration for coral research was when I first had the opportunity to explore a severely damaged reef underneath Molokini Crater, Maui, HI in 2022. Given that I was born in Arizona and have lived in the valley all my life, I never had a quick connection to the ocean, but I have always understood that even in the desert, we feel its effects.

In the future, I would like to continue to contribute to science and the world through a Ph.D. and further research on coral reef systems.