Rachael started diving through the science diving program at the University of Miami, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. She is now a PhD student at Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. The focus of her research is to understand heat tolerance in reef-building corals in the South Pacific. Using a combination of ecological, physiological, and genetic studies, she is examining mechanisms by which corals can increase their tolerance to warming. She hopes that her research will be relevant and helpful for the protection of reefs as ocean temperatures increase.