Jennifer L. Salerno

Jennifer L. Salerno is an accomplished academic and policy expert currently serving as an Assistant Professor and Affiliate Faculty at George Mason University since October 2014, where research focuses on the impact of oil and chemical dispersants on microbial communities in deep-sea habitats. Jennifer's previous roles include a prestigious AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship at the U.S. Department of State, as well as key positions in the U.S. House of Representatives and NOAA, where responsibilities involved advising on ocean policy issues and liaising with multiple stakeholders. Jennifer holds a PhD in Zoology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and has significant research experience assessing bacterial communities in coral ecosystems, supported by an extensive educational background in Biology and Marine Science from William & Mary and Rutgers University.