Mandy Sartain is the newest member of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium outreach team.
As an extension program assistant, she works at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. Her work focuses on marine debris, citizen science and integrating citizen science with marine debris efforts.
Sartain coordinates the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup Program, which includes planning cleanup events, training volunteers, developing marine debris focused educational materials and running an associated year-long educational program.
She also coordinates a citizen-science-based marine debris monitoring effort that spans the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast. She develops training materials and trains partner organizations to engage citizen scientists in collecting scientifically sound marine debris information on small and large scales.
"Mandy is passionate about empowering people with knowledge to improve the environment," said Eric Sparks, extension specialist with Mississippi State University and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant. "Her drive to reduce the impacts of marine debris on coastal communities and her engaging personality make her a great fit for Sea Grant. I am excited to see all of the great things she will accomplish."
Sartain has a bachelor's degree in marine biology from Southeast Missouri State University.
She can be reached at amanda.sartain@msstate.edu.