bIOGRAPHY
Dr. Harms-Tuohy is a fish biologist investigating topics in marine science at the regional Caribbean level and specifically at her home base in Puerto Rico, providing services for The Nature Conservancy, the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, the PR Dept. of Natural Resources and NOAA. She earned her Ph.D. in 2016 from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.
Her expertise is comprised of scientific diving specific to fisheries management and fish community census, diet analyses of Caribbean reef fish using molecular techniques, use of eDNA for environmental sampling of target organisms, lionfish management, and outreach and education in marine sciences.
In 2020, Dr. Harms-Tuohy was featured in the National Geographic documentary series “I Can Science” focusing on women in science. She is highlighted as the Top 60 Alumni from 60 Years at her alma mater Florida Tech where in 2011 she was the first to graduate in the FastTrack Masters Program in the Department of Biological Sciences and in 2019 was recognized in the 40 Under 40 feature with Gamma Phi Beta. In 2018, she was invited to lecture on the current status of lionfish in Caribbean at the Sea & Learn event in Saba, Dutch Caribbean and she continues to perform outreach and education within the Caribbean, specifically addressing conservation of parrotfish and commercially-important grouper species.
EXPERIENCE & APPOINTMENTS
2021 - Present
2020 - Present
2020 - Present
2019 - Present
2018 - Present
2017 - 2019
2017 - 2018
2016, 2019, 2021
2015 - Present
2014 - Present
Project Lead, Strengthening recovery of Nassau grouper in Puerto Rico
Design Consultant, The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean
Consultant, Caribbean Fisheries Management Council
Project Lead, Documenting critical habitat of Nassau grouper in Puerto Rico
Project Lead, Using eDNA to locate fish spawning aggregations in Puerto Rico
Co-PI, Assessing efficacy of Artedi app at teaching fish ID; Sea Grant PR
Consulting Communications Specialist, The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean
Coordinator, Puerto Rico's NOAA NCRMP program
Fish Biologist and Field Instructor, Isla Mar Research Expeditions
Environmental Consultant in Fisheries, HJR Reefscaping
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SKILLS & Synergistic activities
AAUS Scientific Diver (2010 – Present)
PADI Advanced Open Water, Nitrox and Rescue certified
CPR & O2 Administration certified
Skilled with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere; website design
Skilled in Caribbean fish identification and survey methodologies
Skilled in DNA extraction, PCR, metabarcoding, gut content analyses with molecular methods
Designed a fish identification software for tablets: Artedi
Reviewer for Biological Invasions, MEPS, Ecology and Evolution and Molecular Ecology (2016 - Present)