GLORES Partner Spotlight: Dr. Kirsten Grorud-Colvert

We are excited to shine theGlobal Ocean Refuge System(GLORES) Partner Spotlight on Dr. Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, a member of our distinguishedGLORES Science Council!

Dr. Grorud-Colvert is a marine ecologist and assistant professor in the Integrative Biology Department at Oregon State University and the Director of the Science of Marine Reserves Project. She has studied ocean organisms underwater and above the waves in the Oregon nearshore, the Florida Keys, and the California Channel Islands along with other marine systems from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. She is interested in the connections between healthy ecosystems and the people that depend on them and how marine protected areas (MPAs) can help preserve these connections. She and her colleagues use data from different species and habitats to ask, “What happens when you protect an area in the ocean? And what can we learn from those areas to design even better protection?”

We asked Dr. Grorud-Colvert why she joined the GLORES Science Council:

“I joined the GLORES Science Council because I’m passionate about finding smart and strategic ways to preserve ocean ecosystems. Not only because they’re beautiful and inspiring, but also because they sustain life on this planet. Healthy ocean ecosystems provide food and livelihoods and support the well-being of people all over the world. But designing effective protection for sustainable, resilient, and productive ecosystems is no small task. Research on MPAs around the globe can help us understand what works and what doesn’t. And it can help empower stakeholders and policy-makers to make informed decisions. By serving as a science advisor to GLORES, I hope to help shine a spotlight on MPAs that are designed for success.”

Click to learn more about Kirsten’s research atOregon State Universityand theScience of Marine Reserves Project.

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