Ruiqi graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from Xiamen University, China. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research uses a combination of bioinformatics, field experiments, and biological morphometrics to study photosymbiotic bivalves (e.g., giantclams, heart cockles). His research projects have taken him to many amazing places to scuba dive. Since most of his field work is on isolated islands, Ruiqi plans to take the Diving Emergency Medical Responder Course to further his education in dive medicine, as well as to promote dive safety in academia.

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