MSU Extension

Bio
Chiara joined Michigan State University's Sea Grant Extension Program to enhance partnerships among NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, the national and regional Sea Grant programs, and MSU Extension. Part of this involves strengthening connections between these groups, while also focusing on special projects that involve the application of NOAA science and tools into collaborative extension and education programming.

Prior to joining MI Sea Grant, Chiara worked at a national scale on issues related to marine protected areas management. Through a partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, she served NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries by coordinating system-wide efforts to raise the visibility of sanctuaries as destinations for recreation and ecotourism, enhanced capacity for "virtual visits" through virtual reality technology, and conducted outreach with the system's socioeconomics program.

Originally from the Great Lakes region, Chiara has always enjoyed living, working, and playing within a few miles of a major body of fresh or salt water. She holds a M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University, where she researched the effects of aquatic protected areas (aka, refuges, reserves, MPAs, etc.) in fisheries restoration. Prior to pursuing a graduate degree, she spend three years performing ecosystem health monitoring with U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office. She also spent some time conducting creel surveys for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in Southern California.

Chiara maintains an ongoing interest in building capacity for place-based conservation that allows for natural resource protection while also providing educational services to the public. In her personal time, Chiara enjoys outdoor recreation, bopping along at music festivals, dabbling in the creative arts, and perusing thrift stores.

Zuccarino-Crowe will be based in Ann Arbor at GLERL but also will spend time at the Michigan Sea Grant’s MSU Extension office on campus in East Lansing. Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and its MSU Extension, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 33 university-based programs.

Office location:

NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
4840 South State Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-9719