Emily Paris

To make the world a better place, Emily is driven to dive deep – literally – into the ways in which human-caused stressors affect plankton populations in the arctic environment, knowing that these tiny creatures are vital to the food web that nurtures life up the chain to humans.  “My ultimate desire is to bring an awareness of the ‘invisible’ chemical and microscopic biological nuances of the ocean to the public to encourage and influence the next generation of scientists and explorers.” Emily is especially passionate about encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM fields, and is exploring outreach options to local high schools.

Emily’s interest in general biology widened when she arrived at UC San Diego and discovered the vast and vital research activities and opportunities at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She changed her major, added a minor in the marine sciences and will apply to Scripps or another world-renowned oceanographic institute for graduate school. “My intention for pursuing a master’s is to gain more opportunities for meaningful research regarding humanity’s relationship with the ocean. Working for NOAA after graduate school seems intriguing to me, for it would allow me to get involved with the government from a scientific perspective.” She’s recently become a certified SCUBA diver in order to participate in fieldwork.

This November, Emily will be joining the Sedna Epic Expedition, an international all-female team of scientists, artists, professional scuba divers and university professors that works to bring awareness to climate change in the arctic. As the youngest member, she will be conducting research with the other women on micro-plastic content and plankton populations in the Norwegian fjords, snorkeling with feeding orca and humpback whales to collect bioacoustic data, and building relationships with Sámi women and girls. Emily plans to share her findings and experiences with youth in San Diego upon return from the expedition. 

With separated parents who are battling health issues and are unable to work, Emily is largely responsible for paying for her own rent, groceries and college tuition.  She is working as a dance instructor and college ambassador on campus, part-time in the Moore lab at Scripps, and will be instructing LibraryNext classes for Sally Ride Science in the fall. “It is exhausting to manage work, research and academics, but I will never say no to an opportunity and am always searching for ways to achieve my fullest potential."