Diego M. González

Colombian marine biologist preserving Caribbean coral reefs

Diego M. González is a Colombian marine biologist leading coral restoration efforts in the Caribbean through his organization Fundación Corales. Establishing the first coral nursery in the Rosario Islands in 2012, he developed innovative techniques to propagate staghorn and elkhorn corals, species listed as critically endangered by IUCN. His methods have restored over 10,000 coral fragments, rebuilding marine ecosystems critical to local fishing communities.

González pioneered the "3D-printed coral skeletons" technique, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, which accelerates coral growth by 40%. He also trains local fishers to become coral guardians through his Coral Guardians Colombia program, creating 200+ jobs since 2015. His work was featured in National Geographic's "Hope in the Caribbean" documentary series, inspiring similar projects in Belize and Panama.