Alan E. Strong, Strong Research, Inc.

is a remote sensing scientist and senior consultant with NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program. He obtained a Ph.D. and M.S. in oceanography from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in mathematics from Kalamazoo College. He led the development of the first phase of the highly successful HotSpot suite of operational products, and eventually Coral Reef Watch, that developed out of a student-initiated project while he served as Adjunct Associate Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1986-98. His present work focuses on promoting Coral Reef Watch products and tools, including their ongoing perspectives on our changing climate, to both managers and scientists in the international coral reef community.