Terry Hughes has made many globally significant contributions to marine science. He pioneered studies of coral demography, regime shifts and reef resilience, leading to a better understanding of the responses of marine ecosystems to overfishing, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change.

He recently led a series of projects that documented global patterns of coral bleaching, and the impacts of bleaching episodes in 2016-2020 on the dynamics of the Great Barrier Reef. Terry’s current research has evolved to encompass the interface between biology and the social sciences, enabling a broader evaluation of the linkages between coral reef ecosystems, the goods and services they provide to people, and the welfare of human societies.

This evolution has enabled him to translate fundamental and innovative science into practical solutions that improve the management and governance of marine environments. Nature magazine dubbed him “Reef Sentinel”, for the global role he plays in applying multi-disciplinary science to securing reef sustainability. His scientific publications have been cited more than 85,000 times.