Degree program: M.A.M.A
Year accepted: 2025
Advisor: TBD
Research:  Marine conservation, Marine Protected Areas, coastal resource management
Background: B.A. Environmental Studies, Minor Botany, Connecticut College

Profile:

A native of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Claire Williams has always had a deep passion for the ocean, cultivated during a childhood growing up in the Ocean State, and nurtured by those around her, particularly an uncle who works in NOAA’s Office of Marine Sanctuaries, which she describes as her “dream job.” 

Having graduated from Connecticut College in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies, Claire spent time in the AmeriCorp program working out on Cape Cod with the Center for Coastal Studies helping to support fisheries research projects. She also worked as an educator with Save the Bay here in Rhode Island before starting as a graduate student in URI’s Master of Arts in Marine Affairs program in the fall of 2025. 

Brought to the program by its excellent reputation, impressive alumni network, and post-degree career opportunities, Claire is looking forward to complementing her strong background in environmental and natural science with a deeper focus on social science and environmental policy. Her academic work is centered on marine conservation and Marine Protected Areas with a particular focus on climate change and its relationship to MPA Management Plans. Ultimately, Claire hopes to have the chance to build on her previous experiences in community outreach to help solve large-scale environmental problems through stakeholder engagement and development of marine conservation efforts.

In her free time, Claire enjoys spending time in the outdoors: hiking, swimming, and learning how to surf, or hanging out with her beloved golden retriever. Her favorite beach is Second Beach in Middletown, RI, and she thinks that the perfect post-beach stop is Frosty Freeze (also in Middletown) for ice cream.