Stephan Bitterwolf

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Short-term Fellow: April - June 2026
Mentored by: Dr. Paul Jobsis, Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative

Through the fellowship, I've been meeting with restoration practitioners across the USVI and at the 2026 Coral Task Force in Puerto Rico. Two priorities are now clear: scaling up sexual propagation of pillar coral — a species on the edge of functional extinction — and expanding sea urchin cultivation to support reef recovery. I'm currently pursuing Department of the Interior funding to move both initiatives forward.

"This fellowship has broadened my understanding of restoration efforts across the USVI and integrated me into an amazing network of people working diligently to rebuild our reefs — connecting me directly with the impactful work I dreamed of doing when I first started my higher education journey at UVI."