Job summary and/or description of your work/research:
I am an applied ecologist focused on marine conservation. I work with a diverse and dynamic team of government, industry, NGO, private sector, and academic partners to continuously monitor broadband underwater sound across a large network of ocean observation stations in and around U.S. national marine sanctuaries. This effort includes integrating standardized soundscape and biological data products (e.g., whale presence and ship noise) into ecosystem-based research and conservation management programs, species recovery plans, and risk assessments. Through my work, I advance, support, and innovate collaborative research that fills critical knowledge gaps, spans disciplines to find solutions, engages stakeholders, and informs sustainable management to help ensure that marine ecosystems are healthy for many generations to come. I’m passionate about enhancing the roles and experiences of women, minorities, marginalized and underrepresented groups in ocean science.
What do you enjoy most about your work/research:
There are so many amazing things about working in marine science, it’s hard to choose one. I’m grateful for the connections that I have with nature and with great people through my work, which mirrors how interconnected ecosystems are, and how important each individual relationship is to the strength and health of the whole system.
Inspiration:
When I was a sophomore in high school, a basketball coach of mine, Cindy Moss, was a science teacher at a neighboring high school. She encouraged me to enroll in Science at SEA, a marine science summer program in Woods Hole, MA. It was a 20-day program, 10 of which we spent on a schooner circumnavigating Cape Cod assisting scientists with their oceanographic studies. Through this experiential learning opportunity, I was exposed to ocean science careers. I was amazed that I could earn a living exploring the ocean and discovering new things, and I never looked back.