Kristen Sharpe

Educational Background

• MS, Marine Science (Biological Sciences), Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary School of Marine Science, 2022
  • Thesis title: "The role of zooplankton community composition in fecal pellet carbon production in the York River Estuary"
  • Working within the zooplankton ecology lab at VIMS, I explored seasonal and diel changes in zooplankton surface communities in the York River (a major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay), as well as the impact of those changes on fecal pellet production and carbon transformation.
• BS, Biological Applications of Environmental Studies, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry & Syracuse University, 2013

Leadership Roles and Experience

• Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association (MAMEA)
  • President-Elect, 2023-present
  • Virginia State Representative, 2016-2018; 2022-2023
  • Social Media Committee Co-Chair, 2017-present
• W&M Staff Assembly
  • Senator, 2022-present
  • Social Media Chair, 2024-present
• VIMS Diversity & Inclusion (Dive-In) Steering Committee
  • Member, 2024-present
• Society for Women in Marine Science (SWMS) at VIMS
  • Staff Liaison, 2023-present
• Graduate Student Association (GSA) at VIMS
  • President, 2019-2021
  • First-Year Representative, 2018-2019
• Three Rivers Environmental Educators (TREE)
  • Vice President, 2016-2019
• National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI)
  • Climate Science Lead, Hampton Roads Study Circle, 2019-2020

Publications

Sharpe, K.N., Steinberg, D.K., Stamieszkin, K. (In Progress). The role of zooplankton community composition in fecal pellet carbon production in the York River Estuary, Chesapeake Bay. Manuscript under revision by editor.

Sharpe, K.N. (2020). Zoop Soup (and Poop!). Virginia Scientists & Educators Alliance (VA SEA), a collaboration of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (NERR Science Collaborative, NOAA) and the Marine Advisory Program, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, April 23, 2020. https://tinyurl.com/zoopsoup

Sharpe, K.N., Nuss, S.M. (2019). Assessing Resiliency in the Face of Sea-Level Rise. Current: The Journal of Marine Education, 33(2), 9-15. https://www.current-journal.com/articles/abstract/31/

Sharpe, K.N. (2019). Prismatic Little Plankton. Virginia Scientists & Educators Alliance (VA SEA), a collaboration of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (NERR Science Collaborative, NOAA) and the Marine Advisory Program, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, April 18, 2019. https://tinyurl.com/prismaticplankton

Nuss, S. M., Sharpe, K. N., Brill, C. H., Lawrence, L. A., & Cackowski, C. (2018). Building Capacity for Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences. In Exemplary Practices in Marine Science Education: A Resource for Practitioners and Researchers.

Brill, C. H., Lawrence, L. A., Cackowski, C., Nuss, S. M., & Sharpe, K. N. (2018). Out of the Tower and into the Classroom: Marine Science Graduate Students as K-12 Classroom Contributors. In Exemplary Practices in Marine Science Education: A Resource for Practitioners and Researchers.

Prior VIMS Work Experience

From February 2014 - August 2018, I served as the Marine Education Specialist for the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR). Over that time, I interacted with tens of thousands of people while implementing marine and estuarine science-based educational programs and trainings for students of all ages, teachers, environmental professionals, and members of the general public.

For more information about CBNERR's Education events, visit the Education webpage.