Rena is a professor of geology and biology at Baylor University. Her research centers on the development, human impact, and recovery of living coral reefs. Rena’s diving activities began with certification in 1971, and in 1975 she became an instructor for YMCA and PADI. She chaired the YMCA Coral Reef Specialty in 1977 and has been a member of their National Advisory Committee since 1989. Rena is a fellow of the Geological Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a life member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences.