Fulbright Student Researcher Sophie Wulfing came from Washington State but graduated with a bachelor’s in ecology and a mathematics minor from Colorado College. This May, she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a master’s in biology, but her focus is on quantitative ecology. Her background is primarily in applying mathematical analyses to small-scale fisheries.

During her Fulbright grant, Sophie is partnering with the University of Hasanuddin in Makassar. She also works closely with a non-profit organization called Blue Forests. They will be researching how the mangrove restoration project conducted by Blue Forests is affecting the fisheries on Tanakeke Island. Her project would employ Unbaited Remote Underwater Videos (URUVS) to compare how many fish and fish species are utilizing mangrove forests that have been restored with those that haven’t. The study is expected to better our understanding of the benefits of mangroves.