Steve is a marine biologist at the Smithsonian Marine Station, where he coordinates the Marine Conservation Program. He is also part of the Working Land and Seascapes action area of the Conservation Commons, a pan-institutional initiative. His research focuses on the management of two critical marine ecosystems, mangroves and seagrasses in Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, he conducts research that supports the management and sustainable use of small-scale fisheries in the Mesoamerican reef ecoregion. Steve combines a range of research techniques, including genetic analyses, in-situ monitoring, habitat mapping, and morphometric analyses, which support management decision-making and marine reserve design.