Dr. Ewout Knoester is a marine ecologist and coral reef restoration specialist at REEFolution Foundation (Kenya) and affiliated with Wageningen University (The Netherlands). He has over a decade of experience in tropical marine conservation, including operationalizing a large-scale, community-managed reef restoration project in Shimoni, Kenya.

In his current role as lead scientist, he oversees long-term monitoring of conservation efforts, works to optimize the cost-effectiveness of innovative restoration techniques, and explores strategies to enhance coral heat resilience. The roles of Dr. Ewout Knoester in the project will be to:

• Advise on species of interest
• Plan and coordinate necessary fieldwork (and permits) to collect samples
• Assist in field-testing the developed PCR assay
• Refine and apply local restoration protocols using the newly acquired genetic diversity estimates
• Co-supervise the research students.