Back to the Sea, and other thoughts

A dear friend once said of me: “Jill is going to grow up, live near the ocean, and help people learn how to be nice to it.”

I am a marine biologist in training: a PhD student at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. I study how coral reef ecosystems function and react to negative impacts such as fishing, pollution, and climate change. My goal is to better understand coral reef ecology so we can protect and restore these important systems.

I hold a Master of Marine affairs from the University of Washington and a BA in Ecology and Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. I taught high school math at The Island School and studied marine reserves at the Cape Eleuthera Institute in The Bahamas.

I am also a teacher, a social scientist, a farmer’s market aficionado, a recreational photographer, and the world’s worst vegetarian. I make really good Bloody Marys.

Photo by a 5-year-old boy. This is my "please give my camera back!" face.