At The Coral Planters, we believe that global collaboration is key to protecting and restoring coral reefs.
By bringing together NGOs, scientists, institutions, and citizens, we can build lasting impact for ocean conservation.
That’s why we’re highlighting today an inspiring initiative — The Coral Reef Research Hub, a unique collaborative platform connecting coral reef researchers, students, and professionals from all over the world to better understand, protect, and restore these vital ecosystems.
The Coral Reef Research Hub is a career development and networking platform for the global coral science community.
At its core lies a free social-media-style interface, allowing members to:
connect with one another,
create specialized research groups,
and collaborate across disciplines.
The Hub also provides:
career listings and opportunities,
training courses and masterclasses,
a mentorship program,
scientific publication hosting,
and a Small Research Grants (SRG) program supporting early-career scientists.
Created by coral scientists, for coral scientists, the Hub was built around one belief: Together, we are stronger.
The Coral Reef Research Hub began in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic as a private Facebook group.
Its founder — then a Master’s student in Applied Ecology — had long noticed how hard it was to reach out to other researchers or even find out who they were.
Over time, it became clear that social media wasn’t enough to create meaningful scientific collaboration.
So the idea was born: to build an independent online platform dedicated to coral reef research networking.
By late 2021, the Hub had its first working version and launched its Small Research Grants program, funded by minimal membership fees.
These microgrants help early-career researchers cover essential costs for fieldwork or equipment — often a major challenge in marine science.
Since then, the Hub has expanded with a full suite of career development tools:
mentorship programs,
job listings,
online masterclasses and workshops.
It offers both a free membership for networking and a premium membership for career development features — ensuring inclusivity and accessibility, no matter where researchers are based or what their financial situation is.
This approach empowers a global community of ocean advocates to share knowledge, collaborate, and take action for coral reefs.
Today, the Hub is preparing to launch its mobile app, making collaboration even easier and more accessible.
Other exciting projects are underway, including:
expanding the mentorship network,
creating a global archive of coral reef footage,
sharing member-created videos on YouTube to increase visibility,
developing an international internship program,
and securing new sponsorships to grow the Small Research Grants fund.
These efforts align perfectly with our mission at The Coral Planters — supporting research, education, and reef restoration across the world.
Discover how we restore coral reefs and raise awareness to protect the ocean.
The Coral Reef Research Hub aims to become the go-to global platform for coral reef researchers, scientists, and recruiters —
a space where science, collaboration, and opportunity come together.
The development of the application, scheduled before the end of the year, will mark a key milestone.
The team also plans an ambitious communication campaign:
participation in podcasts,
media collaborations,
and partnerships with recruiters in the sector.
The objective: to accelerate research, strengthen collaboration, and amplify concrete actions on the ground.
Discover the complete project: The Coral Reef Research Hub
An inspiring initiative that proves that science, collaboration, and passion can change the course of things — for the reefs, for the ocean, and for our future.
At The Coral Planters, we believe that global collaboration is key to protecting and restoring coral reefs.By bringing together NGOs, scientists, institutions, and citizens, we
What role do coral reefs play? Coral reefs play a crucial role in maintaining marine ecosystems (Chaukaa & Nyangoko, 2023). Their ecological, economic, and social
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