Zoie '14

Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellow, Plastic Pollution Researcher, University of Toronto

I can’t say enough about my experience as a double major in environmental science and philosophy, and my associated Senior Comp, which sparked my interest in interdisciplinary research. For my Comp, a professor at the Duke Marine Lab — who I ended up working with during my Ph.D. — mailed marine worms to me at Allegheny. I also had great internship experiences with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and BNY Mellon in environmental sciences. I had a wonderful time in my Coastal Science and Management class, which included a spring break trip to Cape Cod. While the class was challenging for me, it sparked a lifelong interest in marine science.

I recently earned my Ph.D. at Duke University. My research focused on multi sector mitigation of plastic pollution from governments, businesses, and biologists. I’m beginning a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellowship, a prestigious Canadian fellowship, at the University of Toronto. I’ll be working in Dr. Chelsea Rochman’s lab, who is a world leader in microplastic research, and with partners at the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Ocean Conservancy.