Julia Leblanc

Julia LeBlanc is a Master's student in the School of Ocean Futures focused on marine science and conservation. Her scientific field experience includes conducting research on octopus, turtles, coral, and many other species both while scuba diving and aboard small boats. In addition, her projects have included working in diverse terrestrial environments, including planting over 2,000 mangroves in Costa Rica, and working in salinas in the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

Her interests lie in the intersection of biochemistry and marine biology, specifically regarding how marine organisms adapt to their environments. Her current project focuses on coral metabolism, how it reacts to changes in the ocean environment. This will aid in the protection of coral reefs and coastal environments as our oceans continue to change.  

Her goal is to achieve a PhD in biological oceanography, and eventually conduct research on how microplastics, pollutants, and other major ocean changes affect marine organisms. This is especially important in habitat defining species such as coral that allow for the diversity of life in our oceans to flourish.