HIMB coral reef researcher earns NSF CAREER award

Lisa McManus at a public outreach event

Lisa McManus, a researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), has received a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

McManus, who is part of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology and leads the Marine Ecological Theory Lab at HIMB, was honored for her innovative work using theoretical models to understand complex marine conservation challenges.

Her research focuses on coral reefs, aiming to predict and understand their responses to the accelerating impacts of climate change. The five–year grant will support McManus’s integrated research and educational plan, furthering her work to develop data–driven solutions for the sustainability and resilience of Pacific coral reef ecosystems.

“Dr. McManus’s NSF CAREER Award is a fantastic recognition of her innovative approach to coral reef research,” said HIMB Director Megan Donahue. “Her use of theoretical ecology to model and predict how coral reefs will respond to climate change is the kind of cutting–edge science that defines HIMB‘s mission and will shape the future of marine conservation.”

The NSF CAREER award is the organization’s most significant honor for early career faculty. It recognizes educators and researchers who demonstrate the potential to serve as academic role models and to lead advances in the mission of their department.

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