Rachel Zuercher

Rachel Zuercher is a seasoned researcher in fisheries and aquaculture, currently serving as Principal Investigator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium since January 2024. Rachel has held notable postdoctoral positions at the University of Rhode Island and The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, contributing to critical research from February 2022 to December 2023 and January 2020 to August 2022, respectively. Prior to that, Rachel was a postdoctoral researcher at Florida International University and completed a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where Rachel also served as a PhD candidate from August 2012 to November 2018. Rachel's early career included significant roles such as Project Manager for the CNMI Coastal Resources Management Office and Resource Manager with the US Peace Corps, building a strong foundation in environmental science with a Bachelor’s Degree from Valparaiso University.