Kevin Arizmendi

Undergraduate Researcher

• Kevin’s Research Project:
  • “Typhoon effects on a ‘weedy’ coral Post-typhoon coral reef recovery: positive impacts for previously out-competed species”
• Being born and raised in Santa Barbara, I had always had an interest in marine life and processes due to me growing up so close to the beach. This curiosity led me to major in marine biology at Santa Barbara City College and to volunteer at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center. With these two resources I was able to have the opportunity to educate the public about the marine life found in the Santa Barbara Channel and physical processes like how beaches are made. My interest in corals came when the Sea Center got a tropical coral reef tank where I was able to see how beautiful and interesting these animals were face to face. This would ultimately lead me to intern under Dr. Michelle Paddack where we are looking into the effects that typhoon Maysak had on the distribution of corals on the reefs in Ulithi.