Melissa Kent received a Master of Arts in geography with a concentration in resource management and environmental planning from San Francisco State University in 2017. During graduate school, Kent helped develop a citizen science program for data collection of large whales off the West Coast with NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region. Her thesis explored the abilities and desires of the whale watching industry of northern and central California to collect data on the whales they see, using participatory GIS.
At the Ocean Science Trust, Kent worked with the Science Advisory Team as they focus on harmful algal blooms and fisheries impacts, and incorporate traditional ecologic knowledge into marine protected area management.
Host Agency:
Current Affiliation:
California Ocean Science Trust (OST)