Coral reefs are among Earth's most productive and biodiverse ecosystems, yet the processes underpinning their functioning, from energy flow to trophic structure, and productivity, remain incompletely understood, particularly in the Red Sea. This visiting studentship offers an immersive introduction to coral reef ecology within a research group that combines field observations, modelling, and large-scale data synthesis to investigate reef ecosystem functioning. The Red Sea is a uniquely isolated tropical sea with no major riverine inputs, making it an exceptional natural laboratory for studying the drivers of reef community structure and productivity. The student will engage with key concepts in reef ecology (including primary and secondary production, trophic pyramids, biomass turnover, and seascape connectivity) and explore how these apply to Red Sea reef communities. Depending on timing and availability, there may be opportunities to participate in field surveys of coral reef communities (fish, invertebrates, and benthic assemblages) and to assist with data processing and analysis. The studentship is designed to provide a solid conceptual and practical foundation in coral reef ecology and marine science research.

By the end of the internship, the student will have developed a working understanding of coral reef ecosystem processes and the research approaches used to study them. Deliverables include a written summary of key concepts in reef ecology (trophic structure, production, connectivity), participation in at least one data collection or processing task, and a short oral presentation sharing what was learned with the ROCKNHub team.