Abby is a current MA student in Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island. She joined the Marine Affairs Coastal Resilience Lab (MACRL) in Fall 2024, and her thesis will investigate cruise ships and climate resilience with advisor Dr. Austin Becker.

She grew up in the coastal community of Scituate, Massachusetts, which fostered her fascination and curiosity for the ocean. Abby attributes her passion for the marine environment to her time exploring the intertidal zones with her parents and siblings throughout childhood. In her undergraduate degree at Boston University, Abby achieved a BA in Environmental Analysis and Policy with a Minor in International Relations. Abby had an accomplished undergraduate career; she was elected Captain of the Boston University Sailing Team (Division 1), served as a Research Assistant, and participated in Sea Education Association (SEA). Her semester with SEA was especially impactful; she researched the distribution of plastic pollution on a research cruise from Honolulu, Hawaii to Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

After earning her BA, she built her maritime experience with Sail Caribbean, a summer sailing program in the British Virgin Islands. She began as a Captain, moved to Fleet Captain, and finished her third summer as the Program Director and Marine Biology Coordinator. Abby has also earned her USCG 25T Master’s License with a Sailing Endorsement and is certified through the American Sailing Association. Abby used these skills at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) as a crew member on the R/V Tioga, where she deployed shipboard scientific equipment on several oceanographic research projects.

            During her time in MACRL and Marine Affairs, in addition to her research interests, Abby will work to foster community partnerships, further sea level rise adaptation, and investigate sustainable resilience solutions.

Email: abigail.murray@uri.edu

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-murray1