MESM 2023
Pronouns: she/her
Bio
Renee LaManna graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 2020 with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology, where she immersed herself in the area’s unique ecosystems. She worked for the Santa Barbara Channel Long Term Ecological Research lab (SBC LTER) studying diet and behavioral changes in local fish as a response to declining kelp forest habitats. After graduation, Renee worked on mitigation in salt marshes with UCSB’s San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Mitigation Monitoring Program. Her connection to the ocean is both professional and personal; Renee’s life is deeply rooted in California’s coastline, reinforced through surfing and diving. Experiencing and understanding the ocean from diverse perspectives is what motivates her to pursue further education at Bren where she will specialize in Coastal Marine Resource Management. Here, she will develop sustainable fishery management and aquaculture practices to provide adequate food sources for struggling coastal communities. She will also tackle the policies and economics that play a large role in coastal development so as to achieve flourishing, yet sustainable coastal communities.