I am a Marine Conservation Scientist studying the biology and ecology of rays in the Greater Caribbean. I use cross-disciplinary and inclusive approaches to support the management of threatened ray and shark species. My collaborative efforts have led to the first smalltooth sawfish rescue during the Florida Keys Abnormal Fish Behavior Event (with partners like the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission), and legislative changes in Belize, including extended marine protected area boundaries for reef sharks and full protection of all ray species.

I am currently a researcher in the Fisheries Ecology & Conservation Laboratory at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University. My main project seeks to understand what factors influence coastal stingray abundance in Belize. I work with a fishing community, incentivizing fisherfolk to participate in research to reduce the number of days they fish for sharks.

I earned my Ph.D. at Florida International University in the Predator Ecology & Conservation Laboratory, my Master of Arts in Marine Conservation & Policy at Stony Brook University, and my Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at St. Thomas University in Canada. I fell in love with rays and sharks while at the Center for Marine Resource Studies in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2012, later returning in 2015 during my Master’s to continue the photographic identification study of whitespotted eagle rays that tracked their movements around South Caicos. My SFS experiences kick-started my career in marine science.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-flowers-9a7202309
My publications can be viewed here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=i5ys_N4AAAAJ&hl=en