Dawn Kotowicz joined the Coastal Resources Center (CRC) and Rhode Island Sea Grant in 2015 and is currently working on the portfolio of coastal resilience projects. Prior to coming to CRC, she worked with NOAA Fisheries and the University of Hawai’i as a social science researcher on “people” aspects of fisheries issues in the U.S. Pacific Islands. Her work included social aspects of climate change impacts on coastal communities, marine protected area designation and management, and indicators of resilience in fishing communities. Dawn also worked with CRC as a graduate student, exploring social resilience of coastal communities in both the U.S. and abroad. Her graduate work focused on social resilience in Thai coastal communities during their recovery from the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Dawn has master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Rhode Island in Marine Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Barnard College, Columbia University.