Ascension

Three divers ascend after anchoring a coral 'farm' on the ocean floor. After a few years of growing in this farm, marine biologists will replant the mature staghorn coral into vulnerable and damaged reefs around Puerto Rico. As part of the OCEANOS (Ocean Community Engagement and Awareness using NASA Earth Observations and Science) internship, students learn about coral reef ecology and restoration, helping to build these coral 'farms' as part of the field work section of the internship.