V.I. native scientist studies effects of COVID-19 on fisheries and communities
Understanding the relationship between marine conservation and communities using the ocean as a natural resource, especially during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, is the focus of Dr. Karlisa Callwood’s latest research. By understanding both sides of that relationship, she hopes to help shape policies that will benefit both.
2022-04-12 14:24:37 - VI News Staff
Born on St. Thomas, Callwood spent her younger years growing up between St. Thomas and Tortola. She moved to Miami during middle school before going on to receive her bachelor of science degree in marine biology, her master’s degree in marine affairs and policy and a Ph.D. in ecosystems sciences and policies from the University of Miami.
“A big part of my interest in marine biology comes from growing up in Cane Garden Bay in Tortola,” she said. “Some of my earliest memories are being on the beach and in the water learning to swim before I could walk, and I just have lots of memories of that time of being very intrigued with what was happening in the water and in the environment. When the time came to go to college, I was really very keen on becoming a scientist and learning how to investigate what’s happening in the marine world.”
Callwood now works as the director of the Perry Institute of Marine Science’s community conservation and education program. She and her team won one of only 11 awards among the 1,200 competitors considered by National Geographic as part of their global investigation into understanding challenges and changes to the natural world created by COVID-19.
A lot of her work focuses on looking at marine science from an interdisciplinary perspective, bringing different areas of science and research together to understand what’s happening and examine how social sciences approaches such as anthropology and sociology can inform and influence management policy and conservation efforts.