Dr. Reia Guppy is an Assistant Professor in the Marine Sciences Department at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). She is a marine ecologist whose research was initially rooted in coral reef health and disease, but through the years has expanded to marine and coastal environmental health, population genetic connectivity and resilience, marine pollution and ecotoxicology, and more recently environmental forensics.
Since 1996, Dr. Guppy has actively contributed to and participated in coastal and marine biological and ecological research around the world, including in Latin America and the Caribbean, Thailand, and Australia. She has represented Trinidad and Tobago in the ‘Small Island Developing States Ocean Acidification’ workshop in Apia, Samoa, and currently sits on several scientific committees, such as the Caribaea Initiative (France/Guadeloupe), Life Adapt’Island (Guadeloupe), and the Cabinet appointed National Sea Turtle Task Force (Trinidad).
Dr. Guppy is the founder of Terra Forensic Science Services and co-founder of Yeodrex. She has also initiated a national megagenomics project in Trinidad and Tobago in order to obtain genetic fingerprints for both flora and fauna in the hopes that this information can be utilized in the fight against illegal poaching and trade, as well as support Nagoya Protocol initiatives.
Dr. Guppy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Biology (University of West Florida), a Master’s degree in Biology (University of Central Arkansas), another Masters in Pharmacology with a special focus in Forensic Sciences (University of Florida), as well as a PhD in Marine Ecology from Newcastle University (UK).
She is an avid scuba diver, loves underwater photography, and is a supporter of several animal welfare groups.
For more information on the Grenada National Ecosystem Assessment click here.