Ellie Evans (MA, 2022)

Ellie Evans is a 2022 graduate of theMarine Conservation and Policy (MCP) program at Stony Brook University and a local of Setauket, Long Island, NY. Before joining the MCP program, Ellie earned a B.S. in Environmental & Natural Resource Economics and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. During her undergraduate years, she gained hands-on experience in policy through multiple internships, including working in Sen Sheldon Whitehouse’s Providence office and contributing to different projects on economics and environmental justice.

With a strong foundation in policy, the MCP program gave her the opportunity to deepen her knowledge of marine science, which became one of her favorite aspects of the experience. While at Stony Brook, she combined her policy background with science by collaborating with Donovan Finn to review Long Island municipalities’ coastal resiliency plans and identify climate data to help planners incorporate climate change considerations into their work. For her capstone project, Ellie worked with Dr. Sung-Gheel Jang, using GIS to develop an app that maps water quality information across Long Island.

Today, Ellie is a Senior Environmental Analyst at Environmental Design & Research. Her role involves environmental permitting, supporting offshore renewable energy projects, and conducting resource assessments for marine mammals, sea turtles, finfish, and benthic resources. Reflecting on her career journey, Ellie shares that MCP prepared her well: “The courses during the program were really helpful in growing my scientific and technical writing skills,” making her transition into the workforce seamless.

Ellie’s story highlights how the Marine Conservation and Policy program prepares students to bridge the gap between science and policy, preparing them for impactful careers in marine conservation and related fields.