Jennifer McCann

Jen McCann by the water's edge
  • Director, U.S. Coastal Programs, Director of Extension, RI Sea Grant
  • Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography
  • Phone: 401.874.6127
  • Email: jmccann@uri.edu
  • Website

Jennifer McCann is the Director of U.S. Coastal Programs at the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center at the Graduate School of Oceanography and Director of Extension Programs for the Rhode Island Sea Grant College Program. McCann leads research and provides technical support to build the capacity of coastal management practitioners internationally. Winner of the 2017 Peter Benchley Ocean Award and a 2017 Graduate of Leadership Rhode Island, McCann also served as URI’s lead for developing and facilitating the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan (Ocean SAMP), the first formally adopted Ocean Spatial Plan in the U.S. McCann has also played a leadership role in the development and implementation of plans for the siting of land-based renewable energy and a comprehensive management and marketing approach for Rhode Island’s shellfish resources. McCann led the national effort to develop monitoring protocols and modeling tools for improved management of offshore renewable energy and developing indicators to determine the impacts of offshore renewable energy on recreation and tourism. Jennifer was a winner of the Department of Interior’s Partners in Conservation Awards (2014) as well as the Outstanding Outreach Achievement Award from the Northeast Regional Sea Grant Consortium (2013).

Features

  • Rhode Island: The Winds of Change - This Offshore Source Web Exclusive takes a deep dive into Rhode Island’s unique offshore wind experience through the stories, insights, and perspectives of the men and women at the forefront of US offshore wind development.
  • Sea Grant to Offer Expert Assistance for Communities, Stakeholders in Offshore Wind Energy - Jennifer McCann has been selected as the Offshore Wind Energy Liaison for the National Sea Grant College Program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. McCann, the extension director for Rhode Island Sea Grant, will seek to strengthen Sea Grant’s network capacity to contribute and respond to the nation’s rapidly evolving offshore wind energy development.

Research