Marina Tomer (née Cucuzza), M.S.

Marina is the Research Coordinator for the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. She is responsible for leading the regional project solicitation process and manages the research awards funded by the South Central CASC. In this role, Marina works closely between researchers and natural and cultural resource mangers in the south central region to identify science needs and actionable outputs.  Marina is also a Ph.D. student in Geography and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Oklahoma, where her research focuses on participatory approaches to address climate adaptation for food and water security in Ukraine.

Prior to joining the CASC, Marina completed the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a climate and fisheries specialist. Marina holds M.S. degrees in Marine Biology and Marine Policy from the University of Maine, where her interdisciplinary thesis work focused on the resilience and management of Maine’s fishing communities in the face of ecological and socioeconomic changes.