Degree program: M.A.M.A.
Year accepted: 2024
Advisor: TBD
Research:  Environmental justice, Coastal adaption, Sea level rise, Climate change resilience in coastal communities
Background: B.A. Environmental Analysis and Policy, Minor in International Relations, Boston University

Abby Murray is a current graduate student at the University of Rhode Island, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Marine Affairs. A New England native, Abby grew up in a coastal Massachusetts community and has always been fascinated by the ocean. She attributes her passion for the marine environment to her time spent exploring the local intertidal zones with her father and siblings throughout her childhood. 

Abby holds a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University where she studied Environmental Analysis and Policy with a minor in International Relations. She had an incredibly accomplished undergraduate career; she was elected Captain of the Boston University Sailing Team, served as a Research Assistant, and participated in Sea Education Association. Her time at sea with Sea Education Association was especially impactful, as she was able to work on a semester-long research project studying plastic pollution in Hawaii and the Pacific Ocean. After earning her degree, she utilized her vast marine experience by working with Sail Caribbean, a sailing summer program in the British Virgin Islands as the Program Director and Marine Biology Coordinator. Her most recent experience before arriving at the University of Rhode Island was working for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) as a crew member on the RV Tioga, where she deployed shipboard scientific equipment on several research projects. In addition to her academic achievements, she also holds certifications through the US Coast Guard and the American Sailing Association. 

During her time in the Marine Affairs program, Abby intends to pursue research in environmental justice and coastal adaptation, specifically examining pressing topics such as sea level rise and climate change resilience in coastal communities.