Christopher Hemingson

PhD Alumnus

Christopher (Chris) grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas in the United States. His interest in the ocean started at very young age when his family would vacation to the beach in the summer months. However, it was his first experience diving in the Caribbean that solidified his passion for coral reefs. He received a Bachelors of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University (gig ‘em!) but this deep-seeded interest in coral reef ecosystems eventually brought him to James Cook University. After completing his masters research project which studied how fish assemblages differ between coastal habitats (reefs, seagrasses, and mangroves), Chris decided to pursue a Doctoral Degree. His PhD research investigates the factors responsible for the extreme diversity of colours and patterns found on coral reef fishes.

Current position (2023) : Stengl-Wyer Scholar at University of Texas, Marine Science Institute

Watch Chris explain his latest research on coral reef fish colours in the video below:

Chris’ recent publications