Meet the Scientist Series: Heath Kelsey

Each journey to UMCES is unique. It's time to meet the people of IAN and hear their stories. We'll feature a different member of the team each month to get to know what makes them tick!

Hi everyone, my name is Heath Kelsey, and I’m the Director at the UMCES Integration and Application Network. My journey to a research university like UMCES isn’t a traditional one: I’ve worked on landfills with an environmental engineering firm, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, and as a statistical ecosystem modeler for NOAA. Each of these positions convinced me that science can help create a better future. After all those other jobs, I started at UMCES in 2009, initially managing the Chesapeake Bay Report Card partnership with NOAA in Oxford, MD, called “EcoCheck.” I got a crash course in science communication and report cards from IAN alumnus Caroline Wicks, and from there it has been a fantastic ride to the best job in the world. I get to work with amazing colleagues here at IAN, UMCES, and with our partners, helping communities all over the world use science to design a vision for a healthy future, figure out how to get there, and track progress. It’s an amazing thing to see community members from very different backgrounds come together for a better future. I can’t believe I get to do this stuff! Outside of work, I like hiking, biking, boating, and traveling!

If you value research like Heath’s, consider donating to IAN here.

---