Dr. Tyler B. Smith is a coral reef ecologist interested in the dynamics of coral reef populations, physical and anthropogenic forcing of ecological systems, and human health aspects of coral ecology. Since 2005, he has been a researcher, teacher, and student mentor at the University of the Virgin Islands and research coordinator for the US Virgin Islands Coral Reef Monitoring Program.  His current research focuses on the impacts of natural and man-made disturbances on coral reefs, the ecology of deeper coral ecosystems that form below 30m of water depth, reef refugia, and ecological aspects of ciguatera poisoning. He has been studying the impacts of degraded water quality on coral reef ecosystems since 2005 and application of remote sensing to understanding water quality in the Virgin Islands since 2016.