Pew Funds Scientists From 5 Countries to Advance Marine Conservation

PHILADELPHIA, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that six distinguished researchers will receive the 2025 Pew fellowship in marine conservation. The scientists—from China, Curaçao, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Africa—join a community of more than 200 Pew marine fellows committed to advancing ocean knowledge and the sustainable use of marine resources.

"The challenges facing our oceans, from habitat destruction to pollution, require bold scientific leadership and innovative solutions," said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Pew's senior vice president for Philadelphia and scientific advancement. "The new cohort of fellows join our growing global community of scientists to bring forward-thinking research, valuable expertise, and fresh perspectives that offer hope for the future of marine life."

The 2025 fellows will lead groundbreaking projects focused on developing coral breeding techniques, evaluating critical conservation measures together in partnership with local communities, and helping guide the preservation of threatened marine species and their habitats, among other initiatives.

The Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation awards midcareer scientists and other experts $150,000 grants over three years to pursue marine conservation-oriented research projects. The program also fosters connections and collaboration among a global network of fellowship alumni. Marine fellows are selected by an international committee of marine science and conservation experts through a rigorous nomination and review process.

The 2025 fellows are:

Stephen C.Y. Chan, Ph.D.
Cetacea Research Institute, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
Stephen C.Y. Chan will investigate population dynamics, habitat interactions, and key threats to Chinese white dolphins in Hong Kong. Working with coastal communities, government managers, and nongovernmental organizations, he will develop strategic recommendations for a conservation plan to preserve the dolphins and their habitat alongside planned coastal development.

Linda Harris, Ph.D.
Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
Linda Harris will combine remote sensing data and field surveys to classify and map sandy beach ecosystems across 10 countries in southern Africa, information that will help her assess the distribution, ecological condition, threat status, and protection levels of these important habitats. She will identify conservation priorities for sandy beaches in the Western Indian Ocean and help strengthen expertise in beach ecology in southern Africa to support regional conservation efforts.

Kristen Marhaver, Ph.D.
CARMABI Foundation, Curaçao
Kristen Marhaver will develop new techniques for human-assisted coral breeding. Working in Curaçao in the southern Caribbean, she will test new laboratory methods for fertilizing coral eggs, a critical process that often fails when corals are rare or stressed. Marhaver aims to help scientists and restoration teams efficiently use coral gene banks and expand captive breeding of endangered corals.

Aileen Maypa, Ph.D.
Silliman University, Philippines
Aileen Maypa will develop science-based and community-friendly protocols to help accelerate the recovery of coral reefs in the Philippines. Collaborating with scientists, conservation practitioners, and national government agencies, she will convene the first nationwide coral restoration-focused network in the Philippines. She will also work with local communities to develop accessible toolkits documenting effective practices for reef restoration.

Edy Setyawan, Ph.D.
Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia, Indonesia
Edy Setyawan will investigate the life history, population dynamics, and movement patterns of Raja Ampat epaulette sharks to help determine conservation priorities for the species. Using a combination of approaches, including photographic identification, radio frequency identification, acoustic telemetry, and biologging, he will assess their population status, investigate their habitat preferences, and identify key threats to the sharks and help guide the design of effective protections.

Hesti Widodo, Ph.D.
Coral Triangle Center, Indonesia
Hesti Widodo will work with seven pilot sites in Indonesia seeking government verification as "Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures" (OECMs), a promising new conservation approach to develop a method for evaluating and reporting their impact. Working closely with communities through consultations and focus group discussions, she will develop indicators to evaluate the inclusion and equitable distribution of OECM benefits to ensure that they meet community needs.

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