Born and raised in Hawaii, Calder is fascinated by the biodiversity and evolutionary history of organisms in the tropics. His field experiences at Boston University solidified his affinity for fishes and marine ecosystems, and he received his Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science in 2015. His thesis focused on the feeding behavior and ecomorphology of flooded forest fishes in the families Cyprinidae and Serrasalmidae. Since then, he has worked on several research projects, including studying the terrestrial biogeography of Cambodia and mapping Pacific seafloor bathymetry with the Okeanos Explorer. He has also been involved in public outreach and jellyfish care at the Waikiki Aquarium in Honolulu HI, and has been developing skills in scientific illustration. Calder is currently an intern in the Reef Ecology Lab. He is interested in studying the biodiversity and biogeography of reef fishes in the Red Sea. ​