Speaker: Dr. Vanessa Constant, NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Title: Coastal dunes as meta-ecosystems: Connecting marine subsidies to dune ecosystem functions on the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast
Summary: Vanessa is a coastal ecologist passionate about finding ways to couple science with policy for the development of practical solutions to complex environmental problems. Her dissertation research explored the role of marine subsidies in invasive beachgrass growth and the significance of this relationship for coastal protection along the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast. Throughout her graduate program, Vanessa also pursued opportunities in science communication and interdisciplinary collaboration, delving deeply into the role of science in policy, management, and public understanding. Vanessa is particularly interested in using scientifically-grounded and stakeholder-informed strategies to build coastal adaptive capacity. She received her BS in Natural Resources from Cornell University in 2014 and her PhD in Integrative Biology from Oregon State University in 2019. Currently, she is a NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the Office U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).