Kelsey Jacobsen (2011)

Fellowship Year: 2011
Academic Background: Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara - MESM 2012- (Coastal Marine Resource Management)
Current Position: Researcher, Ocean Health Index , National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis
Currently Working On: Marine Livelihoods
Born and raised on the shores of a small island town in Southeast Alaska, Kelsey’s passion for the ocean runs deep. She is currently a Masters student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management where she studies Coastal and Marine Resource Management. Kelsey’s primary interest is in marine spatial planning, a management approach that she believes will be essential for achieving both marine conservation and sustainable resource provision. Playing into this interest, her Masters research focuses on the potential ecological and socioeconomic impacts of expanding Chile’s salmon aquaculture industry into the sparsely populated, pristine fjord system found in the country’s southernmost Patagonian region. This project will provide the Regional Chilean Government with advice on best aquaculture practices and optimal zoning that strikes a balance between aquaculture, traditional coastal industries, and marine protected areas. Outside of her studies, Kelsey researches the job and economic impacts of marine sectors for the Ocean Health Index, a large collaborative project that will offer a new global standard for measuring the health of the oceans. When she’s not at work, Kelsey enjoys scuba diving, traveling, backcountry hiking, and creating miniature pencil drawings of sea creatures. In her career, she hopes to drive science-based policies that achieve marine conservation with the help of marine spatial planning.
Expertise: Coastal & Marine Issues