Mariana Edaes (MA, 2015)

Mariana Edaes, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, graduated from the Marine Conservation and Policy (MCP) program in 2015. Before the MCP program, she got her undergraduate degree in Biology and a teaching certification from the University of São Paulo. 

During her time at Stony Brook, she worked on a capstone project looking at the Diamondback Terrapin population of West Meadow Beach. Working with her mentor, Malcom Bowman, and the Friends of Flax Pond, she collected data from the 2015 field season. For Mariana, the highlight of the MCP program was its career-focused curriculum, which blended different fields to work toward a common goal: marine conservation. She enjoyed how the courses involved many topics such as biology, physics, urban planning, genetics, and communication to prepare students with the best practices for conservation work. 

Currently, Mariana works as the Program Coordinator for Friends of the Bay in Oyster Bay, NY.  During the peak season, she prepares field equipment, collects and logs water samples, and shares data with the public. Her role also includes organizing events, leading educational presentations, fundraising efforts, and managing social media outreach. She found this position through postings in the MCP social media group and says her favorite part of the job is its variety…

“Being able to be out in the field sampling data, creating communication pieces, planning events, meeting a lot of people in different circumstances, all while advocating for a better environment, is very rewarding,” she says.