About Molly
I am a transdisciplinary social-ecological scientist with training and experience in collaborative, community-engaged mixed qualitative and quantitative environmental research. I have a PhD and a M.S. in Water Resources Science from University of Minnesota, and a M.S. in Earth and Planetary Science from University of New Mexico. I hold expertise in cultural ecosystem services, human-nature relationships, aquatic ecosystem assessment, coastal and estuarine habitat restoration, and environmental decision-making. My research strives to be value-driven, place-based, and highly collaborative with tribal, government, and NGO entities. My PhD research, with support of a NOAA Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship, was a collaborative study that investigated how identity influences relationships with and barriers to water access at the Lake Superior Reserve. I completed two research fellowships with USEPA through Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, focused on Great Lakes ecosystem assessment and cultural ecosystem services mapping. Most recently, I was the Lake Superior Program Coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. I also have expertise in science communication and was selected as a Scientists Promoting Policy, Access, Research, and Knowledge (SP2ARK) Fellow by the Consortium for Aquatic Science Societies in 2024. I have lived in, worked in, and studied the Twin Ports and Chigami Ziibi (St. Louis River Estuary) region since 2011. I am beyond excited to continue to explore and study this beautiful and significant place as the Reserve Research Coordinator.