Dr. Amy V. Uhrin

Dr. Amy V. Uhrin is a marine biologist and ecologist who has over 20 years of experience in the worlds of science and government. Amy currently serves as the Chief Scientist of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In that role she is responsible for developing and implementing the Program’s Strategic Research Plan, overseeing the Program’s diverse research portfolio, and leading internal research projects as well as overseeing external research projects funded by the Program. Amy received a B.S. in biology from St. Bonaventure University, a M.S. in biological oceanography from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, and a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied marine landscape ecology. Amy is known for her work on disturbance dynamics and restoration in seagrass landscapes as well as the prevalence and impacts of derelict fishing gear in marine and coastal habitats.