Shannon Howley, a Newport resident and Ph.D. student at the University of Rhode Island, received an Emerging Coastal Leader Award from URI’s Coastal Institute earlier this week.
Howley is studying Marine Affairs at URI’s College of Environment and Life Sciences. Her research focuses on how science communication, community engagement, and public policy intersect, especially in offshore wind energy development.
The Emerging Coastal Leaders Program recognizes graduate students who are committed to making a difference in coastal, marine, and estuarine science and management. Winners get a research stipend, professional mentoring, and chances to showcase their work.
“These Emerging Coastal Leaders exemplify the innovative thinking, leadership
potential, and interdisciplinary collaboration required to address the critical challenges
facing our coastal communities,” said Elin Torell, director of the Coastal Institute. “We
are proud to support them as they grow as leaders and look forward to their continued
contributions to the field.”
Howley’s dissertation looks at ways to combat misinformation and improve communication between stakeholders. She wants to bring inclusive communication strategies into marine energy policy to create fair solutions for coastal communities.
The 2024 group includes six winners from various fields, including biological oceanography, marine affairs, and ocean engineering. They were celebrated at the Coastal Institute Mid-Year Meeting on Dec. 12 at URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus.
A full list of winners:
Rickie (Erica) Ewton, Graduate School of Oceanography
Shannon Howley, College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Bryan Plankenhorn, Graduate School of Oceanography / College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Amara Pouv, College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Ariel Alexander Quintanilla Magaña, College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Xiaoyi Zhao, College of Engineering
This is the second year of the awards program. It’s open to URI graduate students from different backgrounds who want careers in coastal, marine, and estuarine science and management.
For more details about the Emerging Coastal Leaders Program and other Coastal Institute projects, click here.
