Dr. Rachel Smith is a marine scientist who applies principles of community ecology to better understand how to restore and manage coastal ecosystems. She earned a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Georgia (2019), where she examined the mechanisms and effects of mangrove expansion into salt marshes in coastal Florida. Next, she worked as a NatureNet Science Fellow with the University of Virginia and the Nature Conservancy to optimize oyster restoration efforts in coastal Virginia. In 2022, Rachel joined the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara as an Assistant Researcher and Co-PI with the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Mitigation Monitoring Program.