Mary Raker, a fifth-year Environmental Science major at Ohio State University with a specialization in Water Science and a minor in Studio Arts/Ceramics, is diving deep into coral reef conservation through her senior thesis research. Under the mentorship of Dr. Andréa Grottoli, Raker is investigating how to enhance coral resilience in the face of climate change.
Her project, titled “Growth of Corals Provided Enhanced Zooplankton with UZELA,” centers around a novel device called UZELA (Underwater Zooplankton Enhancement Light Array). This submersible, autonomous tool uses light to attract zooplankton near coral reefs, increasing feeding opportunities for corals. Raker is studying how this increased nutrition affects the growth of two coral species—Montipora capitata and Porites compressa—especially when they are pre-fed before a bleaching event.
Driven by a lifelong concern for the degradation of natural ecosystems, Raker sees research as a powerful tool for environmental change. “I want to leave the world a little better than I found it,” she says. She also values the creative and analytical balance that research offers, describing it as a process that “speaks to every part of my brain.”
Through her experience in the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP), Raker has come to appreciate the fluid and evolving nature of research. “It doesn’t have to look one specific way,” she reflects. “It’s constantly reshaping itself with every new discovery.”