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Ian Combs

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Skills

Language Skills

R
Bash
Python

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Ian R. Combs

Large Area Imaging, Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry,
Coral Restoration, Coral Reef Ecology

Education

M.Sc. in Biological Sciences

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL

2019 - 2017

  • Thesis: Characterizing the impacts of stony coral tissue loss disease on coral in southeast Florida using 3D photogrammetry
  • Advisor: Dr. Joshua Voss

B.Sc. in Marine Science

University of Delaware

Newark, DE

2014 - 2010

Research Experience

Senior Biologist, Lower Keys Coral Restoration Operations Supervisor

Mote Marine Laboratory

Summerland Key, FL

Present - 2024

  • Coral Restoration Program
  • Supervisor: Dr. Jason Spadaro

Senior Biologist, Coral Nursery Manager

Mote Marine Laboratory

Summerland Key, FL

2024 - 2023

  • Coral Restoration Program
  • Supervisor: Dr. Jason Spadaro

Senior Biologist, Coral Reef Ecosystems

Mote Marine Laboratory

Summerland Key, FL

2023 - 2022

  • Coral Restoration Program
  • Supervisor: Dr. Jason Spadaro

Staff Biologist, Coral Reef Ecosystems

Mote Marine Laboratory

Summerland Key, FL

2021 - 2020

  • Coral Restoration Program
  • Supervisor: Dr. Erinn Muller

Research Technician

FAU, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Ft. Pierce, FL

2020 - 2019

  • Coral Reef Health and Molecular Ecology Lab
  • Supervisor: Dr. Joshua Voss

Graduate Research Assistant

FAU, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Fort Pierce, FL

2019 - 2017

  • Coral Reef Health and Molecular Ecology Lab
  • Supervisor: Dr. Joshua Voss

Resarch Assistant

University of Delaware

Lewes, DE

2014

  • Team Benthic Habitat Mapping
  • Supervisor: Dr. Douglas Miller

Teaching Experience

Graduate Teaching Assistant

FAU, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Fort Pierce, FL

2018

  • Marine Biodiversity

Research-based After-school Program for Students

Mote Marine Laboratory

Summerland Key, FL

2017

Alumni Service Corps

Gonzaga College High School

Washington, D.C.

2015 - 2014

Students Mentored

Jayla Pleasant

Mote URE Intern
Assessing the effectiveness Hydrogen Peroxide for invasive tunicate mitigation.

N/A

2025

Ashley Binstock

Mote URE Intern
Comparing fusion spacing of microfragmented coral using Strucutre-from-Motion Photogrammetry

N/A

2024

Alana Boirie

Mote URE Intern
Comparing fusion spacing of microfragmented coral using Strucutre-from-Motion Photogrammetry

N/A

2024

Nathaniel Hand

Mote URE Intern
Comparing fusion spacing of microfragmented coral using Strucutre-from-Motion Photogrammetry

N/A

2024

Amber Morera

Mote REU Intern
Quantifying changes in biodiversity in an experimentally ouptlanted reef site in the Florida Keys, FL

N/A

2023

Lily Gullett

Mote REU Intern
Assessing coral restoration success and changes in benthic community composition collowing the removal of non-protected organisms within Eastern Dry Rocks, Key West, FL

N/A

2023

Kamryn Blake

Mote REU Intern
Assessing if microfragmentation promotes accelerated growth in massive stony corals using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry

N/A

2022

Gabrielle D’Alonzo

Coral Restoration Intern
Assessing coral restoration’s impacts on herbivorous fish communities.

N/A

2021

Ryan Rogers

Mote REU Intern
Does microfragmentation enhance the tissue growth and skeletal deposition of brain corals?

N/A

2021

Briana Matthews

Coral Restoration Intern
Assessing changes in microfragmentation on skeletal deposition and tissue growth.

N/A

2021

Ashley Carreiro

Coral Reef Health and Ecology Lab
Determining stony coral tissue loss disease intervention success on Montastraea cavernosa using 3D photogrammetry

N/A

2020

Mckenna Rayburn

Link Fellowship Intern
Intervention methods and rate of tissue loss on stony coral tissue loss disease-affected Montastraea cavernosa in the Florida Reef Tract

N/A

2019

Diana Perez

Link Fellowship Intern
Zooxanthellae characterization and connectivity in Montastraea cavernosa

N/A

2018

Refereed Publications











  • Citations: 137

  • h-index: 4

  • i10-index: 3

5. Coral restoration can drive rapid increases in reef accretion potential

Scientific Reports (2025). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-04818-3

N/A

2025

Toth LT, Jonson SA, Lyons EO, Spadaro J, Stathakopoulos A, Bloomer S, Mallon J, Jenkins CM, Williams, SD, Combs IR, Craig Z, Muller E

4. Assessment of nutrient amendments on stony coral tissue loss disease in Southeast Florida

Frontiers in Marine Science (2024). doi:10.3389/fmars.2024.1384534

N/A

2024

Carreiro AM, Eckert RJ, Sturm AB, Ingalls TR, Combs IR, Walker BK, Voss JD

3. Large-area imaging in tropical shallow water coral reef monitoring, research, and restoration: A practical guide to survey planning, execution, and data extraction.

NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 313. (2023). doi:10.25923/5n6d-kx34

N/A

2023

Edwards CB, Viehman TS, Battista T, Bollinger MA, Charendoff J, Cook S, Combs IR, Couch C, Ferrari R, Figueira W, Gleason ACR, Gordon S, Greene W, Kuester F, McCarthy O, Oliver T, Pedersen NE, Petrovic V, Rojano S, Runyan H, Sandin SA, Zgliczynski BJ

2. Quantifying impacts of stony coral tissue loss disease on corals in Southeast Florida through surveys and 3D photogrammetry

PLoS ONE (2021). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0252593

N/A

2021

Combs IR, Studivan MS, Eckert RJ, Voss JD

1. Assessing the effectiveness of two intervention methods for stony coral tissue loss disease on Montastraea cavernosa

Scientific Reports (2021). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-86926-4

N/A

2021

Shilling EN, Combs IR, Voss JD

Presentations

Using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry for the identification and monitoring of coral recruits produced via Assisted Sexual Reproduction

Reef Futures 2024

Riviera Maya, Mexico

2024

Gullett, L., Combs, I.R., Leto, C., D’Alonzo, G.L., Spadaro, A.J., Muller, E.M., Koch, H.R.
Oral Presentation

Assessing coral restoration’s effects on benthic community composition using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry

Association of Marine Labs of the Caribbean 40th Scientific Meeting

St. Kitts & Nevis

2023

Combs IR, D’Alonzo GL, Muller EM, Bartels E, Spadaro AJ
Oral Presentation

Does microfragmentation accelerate the grow-out phase of asexually propagated brain corals?

Reef Futures 2022

Key Largo, FL

2022

Combs IR, Hamlyn SB, Matthews B, Rogers R, Muller EM
Oral Presentation

Characterizing impacts of scleractinian tissue loss disease on corals in southeast Florida with photogrammetry and 3D modeling

48th Annual Benthic Ecology Meeting

St. John’s, NL, Canada

2019

Combs IR, Beal J, Voss JD
Oral Presentation

Characterizing the impacts of scleractinian tissue loss disease on corals in southeast Florida

ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting

San Jaun, PR

2019

Combs IR, Beal J, Voss JD
Poster Presentation

Impacts of scleractinian tissue loss disease on corals in southeast Florida

Indian River Lagoon Symposium

Ft. Pierce, FL

2019

Combs IR, Beal J, Voss JD
Poster Presentation
Outstanding Presentation Award

Undersatnding coral disease through 3D modeling

HBOI Ocean Discovery Visitor Center Marine Science Fridays

Ft. Pierce, FL

2019

Combs IR
Oral Presentation

Eulogy for the St. Lucie Reef

3MT-Three Minute Thesis Competition

Ft. Pierce, FL

2018

Combs IR
OralPresentation
Heat 7 Runner-Up, 4th Place Overall

White blotch disease impacts on corals in southeast Florida

47th Annual Benthic Ecology Meeting

Corpus Christi, TX

2018

Combs IR, Beal J, Voss JD
Poster Presentation

Funding

Mote Marine Laboratory POR Grant Program

$30,691

N/A

2023 - 2023

Indian River Lagoon Graduate Research Fellowship

$7,947

N/A

2019 - 2018

FAU GPSA Travel Awards

$1,600

N/A

2019 - 2018

Certifications

AAUS Scientific Diver

N/A

N/A

N/A

PADI Enriched Nitrox Certification

N/A

N/A

N/A

DAN Oxygen Delivery, First Aid, and CPR for SCUBA diving injuries

N/A

N/A

N/A

USFWS Motorboat Operator Certification Course

N/A

N/A

N/A

Skills

Large-Area Imaging, Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry, Agisoft Metashape

N/A

N/A

N/A

Analysis of LAI and SfM products using Viscore, TagLab, MeshLab, and Rhinoceros 3D

N/A

N/A

N/A

Field research planning, logistics, and execution

N/A

N/A

N/A

Data visualization using R statistical software and R Markdown

N/A

N/A

N/A

Data mangement using GitHub

N/A

N/A

N/A

Coral sampling, benthic surveys, photography, navigation and mapping

N/A

N/A

N/A

Caribbean Coral ID, Caribbean Fish ID

N/A

N/A

N/A

Multivariate statstical analyses

N/A

N/A

N/A

Scientific SCUBA diving

N/A

N/A

N/A

References

Dr. Jason Spadaro

Program Manager of Mote’s Coral Reef Restoration Research Program

Mote Marine Laboratory

N/A

Dr. Erinn Muller

Associate Vice President for Research, Program Manager for Coral Health & Disease, and Senior Scientist

Mote Marine Laboratory

N/A

Dr. Joshua Voss

Associate Research Professor, CIOERT Executive Director

Florida Atlantic University

N/A

Disclaimer



This curriculum vitae was made with the R package pagedown.

Last updated on 2025-08-15.