Matt P. Ashworth is currently a research associate at the UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas at Austin. He received his PhD in Plant Biology from the University of Texas, Austin, in 2013. His research interests revolve around investigating the molecular and ecological machinery behind diversification in diatoms, as well as describing the extent of that diversification. His current work has focused on documenting patterns of benthic diatom diversity in tropical and subtropical habitats where diatoms have been less well studied historically, and because he no longer fits into his 7-mm wetsuit.