2023 Scientist of the Year Finalists

Congratulations to the 2023 Judges and Audience Choice Winners of the 2023 Sea Turtle Week Scientist of the Year Contest!

Thank you to all who entered and nominated colleagues!

2023 Judges Choice Finalist

Andrews Agyekumhene

Andrews Agyekumhene is a dedicated sea turtle conservationist and researcher based in Ghana. Since 2006, he has been at the forefront of addressing the key threats faced by sea turtles in the region. Andrews established the first sea turtle tagging program in Ghana, employing flipper, PIT, and satellite tags to gather crucial data on the biology, migration patterns, and preferred habitats of olive ridleys and leatherbacks. His efforts have not only expanded along Ghana's coastline but also fostered collaboration and dialogue among various stakeholders through the organization of the First Ghana National Sea Turtle Conference. By actively engaging local communities, Andrews has successfully eliminated threats like poaching and egg harvesting in multiple coastal areas. Moreover, he has made significant strides in addressing in-water threats by conducting research on the efficacy of green LED lights in reducing sea turtle by-catch in fisheries. This research involved fishing communities and yielded remarkable results, with an 81% reduction in turtle by-catch. Andrews also monitors the impact of climate change on sea turtles by employing temperature and humidity loggers in sea turtle hotspots. His research has far-reaching implications for sea turtle conservation and management, as it has informed policy decisions, highlighted inter-nesting areas, and examined the impact of beach vegetation on hatchling ratios. Andrews has taken diversity and equity issues into account by actively involving all segments of the community in his projects, ensuring the benefits of capacity-building and livelihood interventions are accessible to everyone. Despite facing obstacles such as changing attitudes, limited resources, bureaucratic hurdles, and weak enforcement, Andrews has persevered and shared his research widely through scholarly publications, general journals, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, regional and government reports, online sources, newsletters, and conference presentations. As a co-principal investigator and author, Andrews Agyekumhene's research and conservation efforts have made significant contributions to sea turtle conservation in Ghana and beyond.

Andrews will be using the award funds to expand the sea turtle work his team is conducting to a new beach where sea turtles are regularly hunted. Preliminary surveys indicates that this beach is a significant nesting beach but most of the nests do not make it to term due to predation and hunting. Andrews intends to raise awareness to these issues and to increase community engagement in sea turtle protection by training community members to conduct surveys and other sea turtle conservation activities. 

2023 Audience Choice Finalist

Justin Perrault

Justin Perrault is a dedicated sea turtle biologist and Director of Research at Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) in the United States. With a focus on sea turtle conservation, Justin has been working with these fascinating creatures for 17 years. His studies encompass maternal health, physiological processes, satellite tracking, and human impacts, aiming to understand the effects of humans on the health, reproduction, population dynamics, and survival of marine turtles. Collaborating with colleagues, Justin's research delves into nesting patterns, migration routes, health, contaminants, and disease processes of turtles, providing valuable insights into high-use areas, habitat health, water quality, and effective conservation measures. Justin's leadership at LMC's Research Department contributed to one of the most comprehensive sea turtle datasets globally, enabling evidence-based conservation decisions that contribute to the recovery of local and global sea turtle populations. Moreover, Justin prioritizes diversity and equity in his research, fostering an inclusive work environment and ensuring equal access to LMC's educational experiences. By disseminating research findings through scholarly publications, general journals, Research Gate, Google Scholar, regional reports, and government reports, Justin actively shares knowledge to advance sea turtle conservation efforts worldwide. Despite facing challenges such as funding limitations and staff shortages, Justin's commitment to his research remains unwavering, and under his guidance, LMC's research program continues to make significant contributions to sea turtle conservation.

Justin will be using the award funds for blood biochemistry analysis on their satellite-tagged nesting loggerheads. This will help their team monitor the health of the local nesting population.