Emily grew up in Southern California, where the intersection of urban and coastal ecosystems inspired her interest in plants, animals, and human impacts on the environment. She discovered her passion for marine science in Madagascar where she earned her first diving certifications and participated in coral reef conservation work in 2019. Later during Emily’s undergraduate career at SDSU, she conducted research examining the effects of salinity and nutrients on macroalgae in the context of regenerative aquaculture and bioremediation in urban waters. Since graduating she has continued to follow her passions working with seaweed as a sustainable aquaculture research technician, and working as a scientific diver with UC Santa Barbara on a large-scale kelp forest monitoring project. Since moving to Seattle in 2023, she has been working as a Divemaster for Seattle Dive Tours where she leads guided tours and conducts reviews for certified divers, with a focus on environmental education and marine conservation. Emily is interested in studying temperate marine ecosystems to support policy development, coastal management, and restoration efforts, and is eager to learn more about Salish Sea ecology, environmental justice, and science communication.