SBMUSSELS.WEEBLY.COM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Owner of Santa Barbara Mariculture Company
Phoebe is currently a researcher in the Sustainable Aquaculture Research Center (SARC) at Bren, and will begin her PhD in Fall 2017. Before joining SARC, she worked for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), where she gained a broad background in sustainable aquaculture. At WWF for two years, she managed and led projects spanning Southeast Asia, with a focus on shrimp and tilapia production in China, India and Thailand. Her work included increasing Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification uptake in key production regions, building the first WWF business case for better management practices, and the creation of a unique transparency tool that can test shrimp back to their province of origin. Relevant to aquaculture, her past research at the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Kapuscinski Sustainability Science Collaboratory focused on diversification of species, Recirculating Systems, and direct renewable energy use in production systems. Phoebe is a graduate of Dartmouth College and has a continued interest in communicating science.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Faculty Advisor
- Professor of Applied Marine Ecology at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Hunter Lenihan is a professor of applied marine ecology at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. His research interests are in population and community ecology, especially as they relate to aquaculture, fisheries management, and restoration. He has collaborated extensively with management agencies and NGOs in assessing the impacts and implications of aquaculture in estuaries, coral reefs, and offshore marine environments. Lenihan has worked to enhance and restore marine populations through aquaculture programs, including efforts with giant clams, oysters, clams, white seabass, and scallops. His research also includes ecological assessments of human disturbance to marine communities, disease physiology to isolate and cultivate disease-resistant organisms, and genetics to evaluate success in stock enhancement.
Originally from Santa Cruz, Shelby graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Marine Biology, and a minor in Biology. She received her honor's degree from the University of Western Australia, with her thesis in global shark and ray bycatch, which was published in the journal Marine Policy. Following graduation, she interned at Auburn University's Mariculture Research Center, and worked as a Research Assistant at Portland State University, conducting research on barriers resource managers face when working to increase use of scientific data in policy and management decisions. She is passionate about improving our seafood production systems, and growing our food in a more environmentally responsible manner. At Bren, she is specializing in Coastal and Marine Resource Management, with a focus in Strategic Environmental Communications. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, bike touring, scuba diving, and good cups of coffee.
Jessica is a current Bren PhD student, and is focused on multi-trophic aquaculture on the west coast. She has strong experience in field ecology, data analysis and bioeconomic modeling. Her past work has included monitoring Marine Protected Area implementation along the coast of California, assessing the ecological impacts of invasive species in the San Francisco Bay as well as experimental research on reproductive timing of intertidal crabs. Specializing in Coastal Marine Resource Management, she studied fishing alternatives and community-scale aquaculture in coastal communities of Mexico for her master's theses, earning a master's of environmental science and management degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. Jessica's interest in fisheries conservation stems from her work and travel in Latin American and Asian countries and close work with both the science of and individuals affected by fisheries declines.
Job Titles:
- Advisor Sustainable Aquaculture Research Center Project Coordinator
Shaun Wolfe, was born in Los Angeles, CA and earned his B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Southern California, where he also spent time abroad at the University of Queensland in Australia. Since his time as an undergraduate, Shaun has worked at several aquariums in Southern California, most notably the Pennington Marine Science Center (PMSC) on Catalina Island. Shaun's interest in mariculture stems from his interest in sustainable food systems and fishery conservation. He hopes that this project will create a more sustainable and secure local food source in Santa Barbara and looks forward to telling the story of the project through a documentary film. At Bren, he is focusing on Coastal Marine Resources Management. Over the summer, Shaun will be diving at National Parks around the Pacific, collecting imagery and assisting with research through the Rolex Scholarship. In his free time, Shaun likes turning his collection of surf/snow/skateboards into art, listening to music, and sharing home cooked meals with friends.
Born in Monterey, California, to a military family, Ian spent his teenage years living in the greater Washington, D.C. area before deciding to return to the west coast for college. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he graduated with a degree in Aquatic Biology and minors in Spatial Science and Science and Math Education. He has continued his studies at the Bren School where he will be specializing in Coastal Marine Resource Management. His academic interests lie at the nexus of aquaculture/fishery sciences and public education and he hopes to pursue a career that allows him to share these passions with others. When he's not busy at Bren or being a Teaching Assistant, you will probably be able to find Ian playing his favorite alternative sport, Ultimate Frisbee, or watching Chopped on the Food Network. He hopes his shellfish allergy never becomes a relevant talking point during our investigation of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.
Job Titles:
- Outreach Manager
- Website Manager / Designer