Diana Phillips

Diana Phillips, 21, graduated from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2024 with a BS in Marine Biology, minoring in research, pre-health, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). As a teenager, Diana was a part of SCUBAnauts International and participated in scientific research and conservation diving as a citizen scientist across the country and internationally. She was also a youth leader in Boy Scouts, becoming a Summit Scout in 2023 after building an educational seagrass hydroponics system for Tampa Bay Watch.

During her undergrad, Diana researched lava tubes in the Galapagos and deep sea jellyfish in submarine canyons off the coast of California. She won second place for her jellyfish research at the Life Sciences South Florida (LSSF) symposium and presented the applications of geospatial technology in deep sea research at 2024 American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Geospatial Workshop. She has a passion for engaging the public in citizen science and conservation. She is excited to help REEF in their mission to engage and inspire the public through citizen science, education, and partnerships with the scientific community as the 2024 Dr. Jamie L. King REEF Marine Conservation Intern.