Meghan Zulian

C&E Section Role: Past co-chair

As a publicly funded researcher, I feel it is my responsibility to collaboratively generate science with stakeholders, to produce science that is relevant to their decision-making processes.

Meghan Zulian is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of California Davis and Bodega Marine Laboratory. Perspectives gleaned during her internship with the California Ocean Protection Council and partnerships with researchers at the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program heavily inform her research, which investigates the efficacy of Caliornia’s ocean monitoring networks and coastal critters vulnerability to changing ocean conditions (i.e., acidification, warming, hypoxia).  Her experience as one of UC Davis’ inaugaral Public Scholars For the Future, and former research Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement inform another wing of her dissertation research that investigates how universities can better support graduate students in conducting community-engaged scholarship.

Meghan has experience communicating science with the public and numerous non-academic partners. She has written for popular science outlets; worked on condition reports for conservation organizations including Greater Fallarones National Marine Sanctuaries and the National Parks Service. As a Volunteer Community Scientist with the AGU Thriving Earth Exchange, Meghan co-developed a policy brief and community lecture series outlining the potential impacts of a proposed mining project in North Andros, Bahamas.

In her current role as consultant with Ocean & Earth Environmental, Meghan works for numerous Tribal governments to develop climate adaptation plans and summarize evidence in support of efforts to restore harvesting rights.Meghan believes that science provides one of many important perspectives on any given issue, and that scientists must be good listeners before they can be good communicators. As past-chair of ESA C&E, Meghan hopes to broaden the perspectives valued by ESA and bring community engagement to the forefront of conversations among its members.

… in broader academic culture, there are many ‘well-intentioned’ efforts that ultimately do little to support and uplift those who are most impacted by problematic culture and practices. I would like to help ESA shift how we approach science to a model that centers and amplifies the concerns and solutions proposed by those who know best.”