Sonia Méndez

Colombian marine biologist restoring Caribbean coral reefs

Sonia Méndez is a Colombian marine scientist revolutionizing coral reef restoration in the Caribbean. Her nonprofit Corales Vivos has pioneered the 'Coral Ark' project, creating floating nurseries that accelerate coral growth by 400%. Since 2020, her team has replanted over 500,000 coral fragments across Colombia's Rosario Islands, restoring 12km² of degraded reefs.

Méndez's breakthrough came with her 2022 invention of Coralink, a biodegradable matrix that acts as artificial substrate for coral larvae. This technology won the 2023 Rolex Award for Enterprise, providing $100,000 to scale operations. Her coral 'rescue missions' during 2025's record-breaking marine heatwaves saved 80% of corals in targeted zones.

She co-founded the Caribbean Women in Science Network, mentoring 300+ young researchers from Haiti to Panama. Méndez's work is featured in National Geographic's 2024 documentary series Coral Rescue: Caribbean Revival. Her 2024 collaboration with NASA uses satellite data to predict coral bleaching events, creating early warning systems for marine protected areas.