18-06-2025
Distinguished Almunus: Ashland's own Keisha Bahr making waves in marine science
Editor's note: The Ashland City Schools Foundation will host its 12th biennial Distinguished Alumni banquet Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Ashland University Convocation Center. Five inductees will be honored, bringing the total inducted since the first event in 2003 to 65. This week, the Ashland Times-Gazette is featuring information on one inductee online Monday-Friday.
Dr. Keisha Bahr, a marine biologist from Ashland, discovered her passion for marine biology through the Tri-County Educational Service Center's marine biology course in her AP biology class.
A transformative, weeklong field experience in the Florida Keys, where she first encountered the ocean, sparked her lifelong passion for marine science and coral reef conservation.
After graduating in 2007, she moved to Florida and then Hawaii, becoming the first in her family to attend college. She earned a bachelor of science in marine biology in 2012 and a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Hawaii in 2016.
Bahr is a tenured associate professor of marine biology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and the chair for Coral Reef and Ocean Health at the Harte Research Institute.
As a leading expert in coral reef responses to environmental change, her research bridges academia, government agencies and local communities to develop innovative tools for coral reef restoration, preservation and management. She has secured over $6 million in research funding to support coral reef conservation efforts.
Bahr has traveled globally, witnessing pristine coral reefs and observing firsthand the devastating effects of climate change. These experiences strengthened her resolve to protect coral ecosystems.
She led Operation Coral Rescue, relocating over 300 corals from Florida to Texas during a marine heatwave to preserve the critically endangered Staghorn coral. The initiative earned national recognition and established her as a leader in coral conservation.
As a council member of the International Coral Reef Society, Bahr helps shape global research and conservation strategies and has represented the society at the United Nations, advocating for stronger protection of coral reefs.
She also is a pioneer in citizen science, developing coral color cards used in Hawaii, Tahiti and the Caribbean to help local communities monitor coral health.
Bahr's mentorship has earned her the 2023 Outstanding Doctoral Mentor Award and the 2024 College of Science Teaching Excellence Award. She has trained more than 500 students through immersive field courses in Hawaii, Belize and Fiji, shaping the next generation of marine scientists and conservation leaders.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Keisha Bahr is Ashland City Schools Foundation Distinguished Alumus
