Biography

Kristen Weiss joined the Center for Ocean Solutions as an early career science fellow in September 2014. Kristen works with the Center’s research staff to support the communication of their programs and projects via the COS website as well as targeted materials including management reports and conference materials.

Kristen earned her PhD from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. Her dissertation research focused on social-ecological resilience and the governance of marine natural resources (such as endangered wildlife) in Northern Australia. Using policy network analysis, Kristen mapped and quantified the relationships between different stakeholder groups involved in marine management to identify patterns of knowledge flow and collaboration. After completing her PhD, Kristen returned to her home state of California where she worked with the Aquarium of the Pacific as an education interpreter, then as a lecturer for the University of Southern California’s Environmental Studies Program. At USC, Kristen led undergraduate field courses to Catalina Island, New Zealand, and Micronesia.

From tagging sea turtles in the Torres Strait Islands to making natural history documentaries in New Zealand, Kristen has a passion for traveling the world to connect with people of different cultures and backgrounds, and communicate the importance of ocean science and conservation. In her free time, she also loves diving the beautiful kelp forests of California and the reefs of Palau.