Just this past week, a new Science Coordinator joined the team at COASST: Florence Sullivan!
After spending the last 5 years in Hawaii in research roles at the Pacific Whale Foundation, Florence is back in Seattle, WA. The location isn’t new, as Florence did her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington in Biological Oceanography. Florence also isn’t new to COASST as she once did a stint as a COASSTer during her 15 plus years of ecological work!
Florence has done plenty of work in citizen science, as a point of contact for HappyWhale (a whale fluke matching platform) and as a coordinator for the Great Whale Count (the longest running cetacean focused community science project in Hawaii). She is excited to continue building communities of passionate people with COASST.
When she isn’t writing code that can manage huge amounts of data or volunteering in the community, she is usually playing with fiber in some form – spinning yarn, weaving baskets, or knitting gorgeous sweaters that she can now wear comfortably in the cooler climate of the Pacific Northwest. Her crafting is often interrupted by Lilinoe, a playful gray cat who likes to chew on knitting needles and go for leashed walks in the garden.
We are ecstatic that Florence is joining the team. She will be coming along on some in-person trainings with Allie and Julia this year, please give her a big COASST welcome when you see her.
