Alyssa Scott

Originally from Seattle, WA, I graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Biological Oceanography. Post-graduation, I worked for NOAA as a cetacean acoustician and then worked as the Stranding Coordinator for the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Washington state. My research experiences provided me with a foundational understanding of the interconnectedness of science and paved the way for me to find my passion: pinniped ecology and physiology.

Currently, I am a PhD student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington where I am being co-advised by Dr. Michael Tift and Dr. Luis Huckstadt. My research focuses on the trophic ecology, habitat usage, and physiology of crabeater seals along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), requiring the use of various methodologies such as stable isotopes, modeling, and UAV-derived photogrammetric analyses. Crabeater seals are an excellent indicator species and an important predator of Antarctic krill, making them an excellent species through which to examine the effects of climate change on the krill-dependent predator community and structure of the entire WAP ecosystem. Outside of work, I love to go hiking, camping, and mountain biking with my dog Maverick.