Research Highlights
Research Interests
Researching coral genotype performance, resilience, and restoration.
Development and utilization of techniques for the rapid evaluation of coral performance.
Infectious disease outbreaks, including the development of effective intervention strategies and characterizing disease transmission dynamics.
Katherine R. Eaton
Coral Restoration Projects Manager, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division
508.414.7151
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, Florida 33149
Katie Eaton is the Coral Restoration Projects Manager of the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division’s Coral Program at AOML. In this position, Katie manages research projects associated with identifying coral genotypes that are resilient to challenging environmental conditions to enhance coral restoration practices. She is also involved in the development of tools for more efficient and effective coral restoration. Before coming to AOML, Katie worked at Mote Marine Laboratory for several years, where she conducted coral resilience experiments using different species and genotypes of corals. Her previous research experience also includes developing effective treatment and intervention strategies for infectious disease outbreaks. Katie received her BS degree from Fitchburg State University in 2016 and is completing her MS at the University of Miami Rosenstiel school.
Current Work
Coral Restoration Projects Manager, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division
2016, B.S. Biology, Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg, MA
2022 (ongoing), M.S. Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami RSMAS Miami, FL
Eaton, K.R, Landsberg, J.H., Kiryu, Y, Peters, E.C., & Muller, E.M. 2021. Measuring Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Transmission and Lesion Progression within Two Intermediately Susceptible Species, Montastraea cavernosa and Orbicella faveolata. Front. Mar. Sci. 8:717265. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.717265
Traylor-Knowles, N., Connelly, M.T., Young, B.D., Eaton, K.R., Muller, E.M., Paul, V., Ushijima, B., DeMerlis, A., Drown, M.K., Goncalves, A., Kron, N., Martin, C., & Rodriguez, K. 2021. Gene Expression Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Transmission in M. cavernosa and O. faveolata from Florida. Front. Mar. Sci. 8:681563.
Muller, E.M., Dungan, A. Million, W., Eaton, K.R., Petrik, C., Bartels, E., Hall, E.R., & Kenkel, C.D. 2021. Heritable variation and lack of trade-offs indicate adaptive capacity in nursery-reared Acropora cervicornis in spite of negative synergistic response to combined temperature and acidification stress. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1960), 20210923.
OAR Team Members of the Year – Outreach and Education 2023
For exemplary response to the unexpected and unprecedented 2023 coral bleaching event in South Florida and their efforts to communicate the event to the American public.