Elena is a master’s student in the Geography Department at San Diego State University. For her thesis, Elena will use a combination of field assessments and remote sensing methods to determine plastic pollution hotspots in ephemeral stream channels of the Los Laureles Canyon Watershed Mexico, which is part of the greater Tijuana River Watershed. The Marine Debris Program has current grant projects in the Tijuana River Watershed and Los Laureles Canyon Watershed, and Elena will be supported by the Marine Debris Program’s chief scientist and California regional coordinator. 

Elena is also interested in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion issues and seeks a career devoted to the development and implementation of innovative, sustainable, and collaborative projects that focus on natural resource management and environmental justice and protection. Elena received her bachelor's degree in environmental science from the School of Physical Science at the University of California Irvine. 

For more information, please contact Amy.Uhrin@noaa.gov.