U.S. Geological Survey Coastal Change Hazards Program
Social Scientist and Pathways Career Intern (August 2020-December 2024)
  • Conducted listening sessions in Indigenous coastal communities to support the production of locally customized flood hazard maps and online tools in Alaska
  • Formally engaged with key stakeholder representatives of an ESLR funded project on salt marsh evolution along the South Atlantic Bight
  • Designed and facilitated focus groups with key USGS stakeholders across the country for the Water Mission Area and the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (publications can be found here and here)
  • Interviewed USGS employees on the process of developing decision-support tools and conducted user experience (UX) research, including usability interviews (publication can be found here)
  • Served as a panelist to review proposals for the USGS Risk Community of Practice 

The AOML South Florida Program
Research Assistant (August 2019)
On this week-long research cruise we collected water quality and oceanographic samples and data to support the AOML South Florida Program (SFP), a long term study that aims to yield answers to important questions regarding the status, maintenance and welfare of the south Florida coastal marine ecosystem. 

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Research Associate (2018/2019)
  • Assessed the social and economic impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on commercial and recreational fishing industries in the USVI. Our publication can be found here.
  • Led a social science team on holistic ecosystem-based research on the multifaceted impacts of red tide in the West Florida Shelf region. Our publication can be found here.
  • Researched the social dimensions of the Yellowtail Snapper fishery Florida. Our publication can be found here. 

NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Field Technician (2018)
Completed fieldwork for a project titled, "Evaluating the Influence of Seagrass Structure and Salinity on the Recruitment of Seagrass-Associated Epifauna Using Artificial Seagrass Units". 

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Graduate Research Assistant (2016-2018)
Thesis Research Focus: Assessing the changes in Florida coastal communities resulting from sea level rise and storm events: Determining the human dimensions of water-based activities, use patterns, and vulnerability indicators.

University of Miami's Shark Research and Conservation Lab
Outreach Coordinator and Graduate Researcher (2017)
Amanda taught shark biology classes remotely and in person to a range of students from elementary through high school while researching the impact of the lab's outreach program through surveying students before and after research expeditions. 

The Biscayne Bay Economic and Spatial Study 
Survey Team Member (2017)
The Biscayne Bay Economic and Spatial study was a collaborative project between NOAA Florida Sea Grant and Miami Waterkeeper to determine the economic value and spatial flexibility of Biscayne Bay fisheries and recreational water operations. Amanda was on the Biscayne Bay Economic and Spatial Study survey team. 

Friday Harbor Laboratories 
Undergraduate Researcher (2013)
During this five-week course focusing on marine mammal and shorebird ecology at Friday Harbor Laboratories, affiliated with the University of Washington, Amanda conducted a behavioral research study of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) on Yellow Island, a marine preserve located in the San Juan Islands in Washington State.