Last month, biology major Daniel Hoshino ’11 received the Distinguished Researcher Award from the School for Field Studies (SFS) for his research in the Turks and Caicos Islands during the 2010 spring semester.

The SFS, which has locations on four continents, is a prestigious educational institution with a focus on ecological studies and the development of sustainable solutions to environmental issues. Each year, the SFS gives the Distinguished Researcher Award to exceptional students who contribute to the ecological mission of the school through outstanding researching techniques. 

With the help of professional scientists and other students studying abroad, Hoshino researched and examined the complexity of coral reefs and comparing the relationship between coral reefs and fish population.

Hoshino said that the frequent scuba diving required by his study was one of his favorite aspects of his research last spring. In conclusion to his research, Hoshino authored a paper entitled, “The effects of substrate type on fish assemblages in relation to geomorphic and anthropogenic factors.”

“Future monitoring studies will be able to refer to the data [Hoshino] collected and detect reef changes over time,” said Dr. Annemarie Kramer, Hoshino’s advisor at the SFS center, as quoted in a press release from the SFS. “His findings will be used to evaluate the functioning and effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas as well as changes in species composition and their meaning for the ecosystem.”

After graduation, Hoshino is considering pursuing a future in the field of conservation. Reflecting on his research in the Turks and Caicos Islands, he described it as “an absolutely humbling experience.”