Biography

Teagan Cunningham is a MS Student in Geological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. Her research uses the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) to simulate the transport and biological impact of nutrient input from Cooke Aquaculture’s open net salmon farm pens in Chandler, Englishmen’s, and Machias Bays (Maine, USA). She is working with organizations like the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) and Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) to develop improved methods for sampling nutrient concentrations in Maine as well as impose more detailed regulations for Aquaculture permits. As a scuba diver and sailing instructor, Teagan loves being on the water and collecting data in the field. She is passionate about combining her love of field work, scientific modeling, and education to inspire the next generation of ocean scientists. Teagan is excited to be joining the CI Emerging Coastal Leaders Program to be able to connect with mentors who share a commitment to advancing coastal marine science.