Congratulations Jenn!

At last week’s Indo-Pacific Reef Fish Conference, Dr. Jenn Caselle was honored with the Pieter Bleeker Award for Distinguished Contributions in Indo-Pacific Ichthyology, receiving the award in the category of Ecology. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional scientific contributions to the study of reef fishes in the Indo-Pacific region, with one award given for work in Ecology and another for Systematics.

What makes this moment even more powerful is that Dr. Caselle is the first woman ever to receive the Pieter Bleeker Award—a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to advance gender equity in marine science.

Dr. Caselle, a research biologist at the UC Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute, has dedicated her career to the ecology and conservation of reef fish communities, with influential work across the Indo-Pacific. Her research has advanced understanding of reef dynamics, fish population connectivity, and the design of marine protected areas.

This award honors not only her decades of groundbreaking research and impactful fieldwork, but also her ability to collaborate, mentor, and inspire the next generation of scientists, highlighting Dr. Caselle’s lasting contributions to marine ecology and ichthyology.