Alumnus Returns to Campus to Discuss Research in the Red Sea Today

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Michael Berumen (top right) with fellow researchers on the Red Sea.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Michael Berumen, assistant professor of marine science and engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, will present “Razorbacks in the Red Sea” at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 7, in room 604 of the Science Engineering Building (SCEN).

Berumen will discuss his work at KAUST and opportunities for students interested in marine science or other fields at KAUST. The talk will feature the stories of two University of Arkansas undergraduate students who found their way to KAUST.

“We’re happy to welcome Berumen back to campus,” said Kimberly Smith, University Professor in biological sciences. “He is one of the up-and-coming stars in marine ecology.”

A native of Fort Smith, Berumen was a Sturgis Fellow in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. He graduated Summa cum Laude in 2001 with a bachelor of science in biology. During his junior year, Berumen attended James Cook University in Australia to conduct research on the Great Barrier Reef for his honors thesis. He returned to Australia after graduation, earning a doctorate in marine biology from James Cook University in 2007.

During 2006 and 2007, Berumen served as a visiting assistant professor in the University of Arkansas department of biological sciences, where he taught courses in ecology and marine biology. In 2007, he was named a postdoctoral scholar at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. In 2009, he accepted a position at the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology on the shores of the Red Sea, where he leads the Coral Reef Ecology lab in the Red Sea Research Center.

Berumen is an active participant in projects in French Polynesia, Australia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and Saudi Arabia. He is part of an international team developing techniques used to track the dispersal patterns of larval fish and is leading one of the world's largest whale shark tagging and tracking programs.

He has authored 38 journal articles and is co-editor of the forthcoming book, Biology of Butterflyfishes. His research focuses on coral reef ecology, including larval connectivity in coral reef fishes, movement ecology of coral reef organisms, biogeography and the impact of climate change on coral reef ecosystems.

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is an, international graduate research institution set on the shore of the Red Sea. KAUST’s combination of world-class laboratory facilities and Red Sea coral reefs give it a unique educational niche. KAUST offers full fellowships for master of science and doctoral studies in several science and engineering fields.

Berumen will be available after his talk to meet with those interested in marine biology or who might be interested in graduate work at KAUST. The seminar is free and open to the public.