Hunter Hughes is a Ph.D. Candidate and Royster Fellow at UNC Chapel Hill’s Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Science. Hunter’s research is centered on coral reefs and climate change. Specifically, how can the chemistry of coral skeletons tell us about past tropical ocean conditions? Prior to becoming a Tar Heel, Hunter completed his master’s at the University of Maryland where he showed how small changes in seawater chemistry could have large impacts on coral-derived ocean temperatures. In keeping with his love of research, Hunter is passionate about educating the next generation of scholars in both marine and geosciences.