Erin Spencer

About Erin Spencer

Marine ecologist and science writer with a passion for ocean conservation. Strong background in science writing and speaking, including giving talks through TEDx, National Geographic Live, National Geographic Education, and Dept. of Defense. Extensive experience in communicating to wide audiences, from kindergartners to fellow scientists! Experience in research, data analysis, digital media, copywriting, copy editing, social media, web production. Currently a Biology PhD candidate at FIU, with a MS in Ecology from UNC - Chapel Hill and a BS in Ecology from the College of William and Mary. Any day working on the ocean is a good day.

Experience

1. Explorer

   National Geographic

   Feb 2013 — Present

   Awarded three grants from the National Geographic Society to study invasive species management and seafood mislabeling. For the Invasive Species Initiative, I traveled from Florida to Fiji in search of creative ways people are combatting invasive species in their backyards. A number of organizations have featured photos and videos from the project, including PBS, NBC, the New York Times, National Geographic, and CBS Sunday Morning.My most recent work involved using DNA barcoding to assess the rate of red snapper mislabeling in the Southeastern United States, a practice that poses economic, environmental, and human health risks. The goal of the project is to give fishery managers and vendors a clearer picture of the scope of seafood mislabeling, and to give consumers tangible tools for how they can best avoid fraud.

Education

• The College of William and Mary

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Ecology

  2010 — 2014

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  Master of Science - MS, Ecology

  2017 — 2019

• Florida International University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Biology, General

  2019