Dr. David E. Vaughan has held positions in marine aquaculture research and development for over 30 years. For 15 years, he was the Executive Director of the Mote Marine Laboratory in the Florida Keys where he started the Coral Reef Restoration Program. Through this program he was heralded with being the first to develop the new technology of coral micro-fragmentation which dramatically improves the rate at which coral reefs can be restored. In 2017 he received the Chicago Field Museum Parker/Gentry Award as "Conservationist of the Year" for his work with coral restoration.