ABOUT ME
Originally from Austin, TX, USA, I grew up swimming and lifeguarding in freshwater springs and lakes. It wasn't until the very last month of my undergraduate degree program that I a saw a coral reef for the very first time. I was taking a course at The University of Texas at Austin in Marine Botany taught by Dr. Ken Dunton. We traveled to Akumal, Mexico to study the marine plants inhabiting the near shore patch reefs of Akumal Bay. The complex and vibrant world of the coral reef gripped me and I have studied it ever since. I earned my Master of Science degree from Auburn University in the laboratory of Dr. Nanette Chadwick and I am now working towards my Doctor of Philosophy at Florida State University in the laboratory of Dr. Janie Wulff.
Curriculum Vitae
Bobbie Lynn Renfro
Florida State University, Department of Biological Sciences
King Life Sciences Building, office 4079
+1 (512) 632-2243
EDUCATION
Florida State University
Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, anticipated 2024
Major Professor: Janie Wulff, PhD | Cumulative GPA: 4.0
Auburn University
Master of Science in Biology, Focused in Marine Ecology, 2016
Major Professor: Nanette Chadwick, PhD | Cumulative GPA: 4.0
The University of Texas at Austin
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Focused in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, 2013
Cumulative GPA: 3.64
CAREER INTERESTS
Continued research, teaching, and outreach related to tropical marine ecology, anthropogenic disturbance, and conservation. Specific interests in Caribbean coral reef sponge assemblages.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Soaking It In: Species-Specific Effects of Anthropogenic Nutrient Enrichment on Caribbean Coral Reef Sponges
Florida State University Department of Biological Science Doctoral Dissertation Project
Major Professor: Janie Wulff, PhD
A Sticky Situation: Sponge Transplants as a Natural Adhesive Stabilizing Coral Rubble for Restoration
Collaboration with Islamorada Conservation and Education Restoration (I.CARE) non-profit organization
I.CARE Co-Founders: Kylie Smith, PhD and Mike Goldberg
MASTER OF SCIENCE THESIS
Impacts of diving tourists on coral reef community structure and herbivorous reef fish foraging behavior
Auburn University Department of Biological Science
Major Professor: Nanette Chadwick, PhD
Available at: http://etd.auburn.edu/handle/10415/5263
FUNDING & HONORS
2022 PADI Foundation Grant
2022 Smithsonian Tropical Research Inst. Short Term Fellowship $5600
2022 FSU CRE Undergraduate Research Mentor Award $500
2022 Nominated for the FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
2022 American Academy of Underwater Sciences Kevin Flanagan Travel Award $800
2021 Mote Protect Our Reefs Grant (awarded in collaboration with I.CARE) $14,905
2021 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Mentor Materials Grant $250
2021 Nominated for the FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
2021 Nominated as an FSU CRE Featured UROP Research Mentor
2021 William R. and Lenore Mote Eminent Scholar in Marine Biology RA $14,038
2020 American Academy of Underwater Sciences Doctoral Scholarship $1500
2020 Nominated for FSU UROP Mentorship Award
2020 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Mentor Materials Grant $250
2019 Horace Loftin Endowment for work in Panama $1000
2019 William R. and Lenore Mote Eminent Scholar in Marine Biology RA $14,038
2019 Smithsonian Tropical Research Inst. Post-Taxonomy-Course fellowship $3500
2019 Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Gordon J Gilbert Grant $2500
2019 International Women’s Fishing Assoc. Graduate Research Grant $2000
2019 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Taxonomy Course Fellowship ~$1000
2019 Nominated for the FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
2018 William R. and Lenore Mote Eminent Scholar in Marine Biology RA $14,038
2018 Robert B Short Zoology Scholarship for field course $1000
2018 Florida State University Dean’s Scholarship $1000
2015 Graduate Student Thesis/Dissertation Fellowship $500
2015 International Women’s Fishing Assoc. Ryan Kelley Scholarship $2000
2015 Dauphine Island Sea Lab Graduate Student Symposium Travel Grant $100
2013 Beal/Gurevitz Marine Botany Scholarship $525
2011 Global Medical Training: Dominican Republic Scholarship $330
2011 Global Medical Training: Kaplan Scholarship $2000
2011 Acceptance into Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society
2010 Laurence Baker Memorial Scholarship $1000
2010 – 2013 College of Natural Sciences Honors
2010 – 2013 University Honors
2009 – 2010 State of Texas Top 10% Scholarship $1000 per year
2009 Acceptance into Freshman Research Initiative
PUBLICATIONS
2020 Renfro, B. Public knowledge and coral reef conservation: a lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic. Reef Encounters; 35(1): 79. (correspondence of opinion)
2017 Renfro, B., Chadwick, N. E. Benthic community structure on coral reefs exposed to intensive recreational snorkeling. Plos One; 12: e0184175.
2015 Gil, M.A., Renfro, B., Figueroa-Zavala, B., Penié, I., and Dunton, K.H. Rapid tourism growth and declining coral reefs in Akumal, Mexico. Marine Biology;162: 2225–2233.
PRESENTATIONS
2022 Mote Protect Our Reefs Grants Program
Kylie Smith and Bobbie Renfro. A Sticky Situation: Sponge Transplants as a Natural Adhesive Stabilizing Coral Rubble for Restoration.
2022 American Academy of Underwater Sciences Symposium
Bobbie Renfro. The Effects of Anthropogenic Nutrient Enrichment of the Standing Biomass and Growth of Coral Reef Sponges at the Species Level.
*Won Best Student Talk ($300)
2021 Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education (I.CARE)
Bobbie Renfro, I.CARE Staff, Sarah Smith. Sponge Ecology, Reef Restoration, and Transplant Training.
*Presented 5 times to members of the Florida Keys recreational diving community
2021 Florida State University Undergraduate Research Symposium (poster)
Sarah Smith, Bobbie Renfro. The Cultivation of the Caribbean Reef Sponge Aplysina fulva in a Closed System.
*My mentee presented this poster
2020 Florida State University Undergraduate Research Symposium (poster)
Deborah Olivier, Bobbie Renfro. Examination of Amphimedon compressa as a Complex of Cryptic Sponge Species.
*My mentee presented this poster
2019 & 2020 Invited speaker: FSU Marine Biology course
2019 Invited speaker: FSU SEEDS undergraduate chapter
2019 Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Gordon J. Gilbert Grant Competition Talk.
2017 Invited speaker for series: Learning Community in Marine Biology at Auburn University.
2016 Auburn University “This is Research” Student Symposium
Bobbie Renfro, Nanette Chadwick. Can We Swim with the Fishes? Impacts of Tourism on Macroalgal Grazing Behavior by Coral Reef Fishes.
*Won 2nd Place Best Graduate Student STEM Field Talk ($500)
2016 Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference
Bobbie Renfro, Nanette Chadwick. Can We Swim with the Fishes? Impacts of Tourism on Macroalgal Grazing Behavior by Coral Reef Fishes
*Won 3rd Place Best Talk ($50)
2015 Dauphin Island Sea Lab Graduate Student Symposium
Bobbie Renfro, Ken Dunton, Nanette Chadwick. Coral Reefs: Tourism’s Fragile Playground—An examination of declining coral reefs in an area of growing coastal tourism
*Won ‘Student’s Choice Best Presentation’ ($100)
2015 Auburn University This is Research Student Symposium (poster)
Bobbie Renfro, Ken Dunton, Nanette Chadwick. Coral Reefs: Tourism’s Fragile Playground—An examination of declining coral reefs in an area of growing coastal tourism
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2020 – 2021 Communications Committee Web Designer
Graduate Assistants United: Florida State University Chapter
2017 – 2018 Environmental Educator
Austin Nature and Science Center, Austin, TX
2017 – 2018 PADI SCUBA Instructor and Web Designer
Sugar Land Diver Center, Sugar Land, TX
2017 Marine Scientist and SCUBA Instructor
Global Expeditions Group, Sea|mester, Sarasotta, FL/British Virgin Islands
2017 Dive Master and Instructor Development Course Intern
Subway Watersports, IDC Instructor: Phil Hetherington
2014 Surface Water Biology Intern
City of Austin Watershed Protection Department
Mentor: Andrew Clamann, M.Sc.
Media Coverage: front page story of Austin American Statesman for E. coli Geographic Source Isolation
2013 Laboratory Technician (seagrass monitoring project)
University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, TX
Primary Investigator: Ken Dunton, PhD
TEACHING
Introduction to Scientific Diving
Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory Academic Dive Program
Dive Instructor and Teaching Assistant: Spring 2021, Spring 2022
Biology II Laboratory
Florida State University
Teaching Assistant – Fall 2018, Fall 2020
Lead “Honcho” Teaching Assistant: Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2021
Responsibilities: As Honcho TA I taught and coordinated a minimum of 11 Teaching Assistants and managed the course content for a minimum of 500 students. I also co-lead the transition of this course to online format during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
K-12 Science and Nature Experiential Learning Courses
Austin Nature and Science Center, Austin, TX
Environmental Educator: 2017 – 2018
Study Abroad: Oceonography
Sea|mester, accredited by University of South Florida
Marine Science Lecturer and Dive Instructor: 2017
Study Abroad: Coral Reef Sustainability in Mexico
Auburn University
Teaching Assistant and Course Co-Designer: Summer 2016
Honors Organismal Biology Laboratory
Auburn University
Teaching Assistant: Spring 2015
Honors/Regular: Principles of Biology Laboratory
Auburn University
Teaching Assistant: Fall 2014, Fall 2015
Ecology Laboratory
Auburn University
Teaching Assistant: Spring 2015
MENTORING
2021 Remi Ventura – FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
Project: Improving Sponge Aquaculture
2021 Sydney Grzep – Sponge restoration assistant
2020 – 2021 Allison Grula – FSU Undergraduate Research Assistant
Project: Methods of Marine Sponge Measurement
2020 – 2021 Sydney Jansen – FSU Undergraduate Research Assistant
Project: Methods of marine sponge measurement
2020 – 2021 Stasia Pietraszun – FSU Directed Independent Study (DIS)
Project: Clay sponge models to demonstrate the influence of morphology on size
2020 – 2021 Clydyll Dee Uyan – FSU Undergraduate Research Assistant
Project: Methods of Marine Sponge Measurement
2020 – 2021 Josh Cohen – FSU Undergraduate Research Assistant
Project: Methods of Marine Sponge Measurement
2020 – 2021 Sarah Smith – FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)
Project: Sponge aquaculture
2019 – 2021 Deborah Olivier – FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) & FSU Directed
Independent Study (DIS)
Project: Morphological analysis of cryptic sponge species
2019 Miguel Ortiz – FSU Directed Independent Study
Project: Spicule microscopy & Water quality sampling in the Florida Keys
2019 Cassia Foley – McGill University BESS Program Intern
Project: distribution of Palythoa caribaeorum
2019 Isabelle Basden – FSU Undergraduate Research Assistant
Project: Florida Keys fieldwork in coral reef ecological monitoring
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TRAINING & SKILLS
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FSU Program for Instructional Excellence Workshops:
02/08/21 Creating a Diversity Statement
02/05/21 How to Create a Teaching Portfolio
06/22/20 Educational Media for Online Learning
06/19/20 Summer Institute on Education, Equity, and Justice
Attended this Virtual Conference at the American University School of Education
2019 Understanding Basal Metazoan Relationships: Sponge Course
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Since 2018 AAUS Scientific Diver
Since 2017 PADI SCUBA Instructor
Specialties: Deep, Fish ID, Night, Emergency Oxygen, Enriched Air Nitrox, Emergency First Responder
2022 Awarded PADI 50 Level Elite Instructor Award
Since 2017 International Yacht Training
International Certificate of Competency, earned aboard 89’ schooner
2017 Very High Frequency Radio Operator
Since 2017 Boat work
Tall ship/sailing yacht 3 months experience
BoatUS Florida Certified
OUTREACH & ORGANIZATIONS
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2022 History of Diving Museum in Islamorada, FL, USA: Sponge Hunters Exhibit
Contributed sponge ecology information to the exhibit and was listed on the exhibit’s contributors panel
2022 Scientist in Every Florida School: Volunteer virtual teacher
Taught evolution virtually to Florida K-12 students
2021 SciGirls Summer Camp
Invited Scientist for Florida Keys Marine Biology & Neutral Buoyancy Lab
2021 Tallahassee Community College International Day of Women and Girls in Science virtual event “Stories
in STEM: Changing the Narrative”
Served as a Graduate Peer Mentor
2020 – 2021 Graduate Assistants United: Communication Committee Web Designer
Florida State University Chapter
2020 – present International Coral Reef Society Student Committee: Blog Post Coordinator
Hosted Science Communications webinar: 2020
2020 Florida Ocean Day: Represented Florida Ocean Alliance
Florida State Capital
2020, 2022 Tallahassee Regional Science Fair: Volunteer Judge
2018, 2019 Tallahassee Science Festival Booth
2019 – 2020 FSU AAUS Scientific Diver Workshop: Volunteer SCUBA Mentor
Florida State University, Tallahassee Florida
2019 – present Florida State University Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: Biology Mentor
2018 – present Ecology and Evolution Research Discussion Group
Florida State University, Tallahassee Florida
Served as Social Media Coordinator and Historian: 2020 – 2021
Served as Outreach Coordinating Officer: 2019 – 2020
2014 – 2016 Auburn Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association
Auburn University, Auburn Alabama
Served as Secretary 2015 - 2016
May 2015 AU Explore Event Coordinator
Auburn University, Auburn Alabama
2015 – 2016 Science Olympiad ‘Green Generation’ Event Coordinator
Auburn University, Auburn Alabama
2015 Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center Volunteer
Auburn University, Auburn Alabama
2014 Endangered Eurycea sosorum Salamander Habitat Cleanup Volunteer
City of Austin Department of Watershed Protection, Austin, TX
2010 – 2013 Global Medical Training Trip Leader & Fundraising Coordinator
University of Texas at Austin
Dominican Republic: March 2011
Panama: August 2012
MEDIA FEATURES
2022 FSU Office of Graduate Fellowship and Awards “Rockstar Graduate Student Profile”:
https://ogfa.fsu.edu/graduate/bobbie-renfro
2021 Featured on FSU Arts and Sciences Student Spotlights. Interview by undergraduate Chase Clough:
https://artsandsciences.fsu.edu/article/student-spotlight-bobbie-renfro
2021 Featured on FSU Costal and Marine Lab webpage “Who Works on the Coral Reefs Down in the Keys…
SpongeBOBBIE Renfro!”
https://marinelab.fsu.edu/news-at-fsucml/who-works-on-the-coral-reefs-down-in-the-keys-spongebobbie-renfro/
2021 Interviewed by Tiffany Duong for Keys Weekly newspaper
“Sponge Bob(bie) Restores the Reef”
https://keysweekly.com/42/sponge-bobbie-restores-the-reef/
2021 Interviewed by Tiffany Duong for EcoWatch
“Meet 'Sponge Bobbie,' the Marine Biologist Using Sponges to Save Coral Reefs”
https://www.ecowatch.com/coral-reef-conservation-sponges-2655063655.html
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
2013 The Effects of Tourism on Coral Reefs
University of Texas at Austin – Akumal, Mexico Maymester Program
Guiding Professor: Ken Dunton, PhD
(Resulted in publication see Gil et al. 2015 above)
2010 Vertebrate Interactome Mapping Research Stream
University of Texas at Austin – Freshman Research Initiative program
2010 Fish Community and Water Quality
University of Texas at Austin – Freshman Research Initiative program
SOCIETIES
Since 2020 American Academy of Underwater Sciences
Since 2020 National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi)
Since 2019 International Coral Reef Society
Since 2018 National Association for Interpretation
Since 2017 Professional Association of Diving Instructors
Since 2015 American Society of Naturalists
Since 2014 Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology
Since 2011 Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society (University of Texas & Auburn Chapters)