Rhian Waller and Tim Shank

During a 2001 expedition to the Galápagos Islands, doctoral student Rhian Waller met several scientists who directed her to Tim Shank in WHOI’s Biology Department. Since 2003, they have teamed up on a number of projects and many research cruises. Each brings special expertise to their coral studies: Waller specializes in the ecology of deep-water corals, and Shank specializes in marine ecological and evolutionary genetics. Their tag-team effort is helping them to address questions about these ecologically and economically important coral species.