Dr. Stacy Aguilera-Peterson joins USGCRP as the Deputy Director for Research, on detail to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Geosciences Directorate Ocean Sciences Division. 

 

At NSF, Stacy fulfilled several functions, including serving as a policy advisor to the Cabinet-level Ocean Policy Committee Ocean Science and Technology subcommittee; chief executive secretary to the White House National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology; U.S. National Focal Point to the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative; and NSF United Nations Ocean Decade strategic lead. In these roles she has championed ocean-based climate solutions, environmental justice, and science-based decision-making. 

 

Stacy began her federal service as a NOAA Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow at OSTP, where she focused on developing national ocean policy and ocean and science technology partnerships. Through previous positions with the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Environmental Defense Fund, and Tambopata Research Center, she has authored peer-reviewed scientific literature on a wide range of environment related topics such as marine protected areas, ocean energy, ecological resilience, and fishery management.

 

Stacy earned a B.S. in Biology with honors from Stanford University, a M.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Science and Policy from the University of Miami. She is a Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellow alumna and received the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Miami.

 

Stacy is also a divemaster, a scientific diver, and a proud mom of two daughters, who are already budding scientists.