Welcome! I’m Heather Kinney, a marine scientist and project manager passionate about aquatic ecosystems and finding innovative ways to protect them. I'm interested in combining research, technology, and conservation to make a real impact. Take a look around and feel free to reach out - I'd love to connect!
Tracking harmful cyanobacteria blooms to understand trends, inform public health advisories, and improve freshwater ecosystem management.
Conducting beach seine surveys to monitor juvenile fish populations and habitat changes. This long-term dataset (2017–present) helps track trends and ecosystem shifts and monitors the impact of habitat restoration efforts on fish populations and overall ecosystem health in urban estuarine environments.
Using automated video capture to track river herring migration, comparing video monitoring techniques with visual count data to enhance accuracy in abundance measurements.
Studying the impact of dam removals and fish ladders on fish populations and ecosystem health.
Researching the effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems and developing strategies for resilience and adaptation.
Exploring non-invasive monitoring techniques, such as hydrophones and passive acoustic sensors, to study fish behavior and migration patterns.
Investigating how green infrastructure and ecosystem-based approaches can improve flood resilience and water quality.
Assessing the role of artificial reefs in enhancing marine biodiversity, fish production, stabilizing shorelines, and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Advocating for real-time environmental data to be accessible, transparent, and interactive for researchers, policymakers, and the public.
University of Rhode Island, 2017
Master's thesis: Aquaculturist's perceptions of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA).
Roger Williams University, 2014
Specialized in oyster restoration and shellfish aquaculture, gaining hands-on experience in hatchery, nursery, and grow-out operations, working directly with native bivalves and contributing to sustainable aquaculture research in Rhode Island’s coastal waters.