- Research Fisheries Biologist – Conservation Engineering, RACE Division, Alaska Fisheries Science Center
- Ph.D. Fisheries Science, Oregon State University, 2016
- M.S. Marine Science, College of William and Mary, 2006
- B.S. Biology, University of California, San Diego, 2003
At 18 years old I fell in love with fishing gear, and discovered great joy in collaborating with fishermen on work to make fisheries more sustainable. Over the years, I conducted cooperative research with a variety of fisheries, including: AK and OR bottom trawl, OR Dungeness crab, CA groundfish, Atlantic sea scallop dredge, and Mexican gill net fisheries. Now, as the lead of the Conservation Engineering group at NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center, I conduct research, with industry and scientific partners, to find innovative ways to evaluate and mitigate bycatch, bycatch mortality, and effects on fish habitat. This work is done through understanding fish and gear behavior, and improving fishing gear design and practices. Important to my work are collaboration with industry, outreach, technology development, and laboratory and field work. While my research is focused on Alaska fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, I am involved in the US and international conservation engineering communities. I also support student research projects focusing on Alaska commercial fisheries, and, as a ‘mom in science’, am happy to talk with any student about balancing school/ career with a family.
