Jess holds a BSc in Marine Biology and completed her Masters of Coastal and Marine Management at the University Centre of the Westfjords (Háskólasetur Vestfjarða) in Iceland in 2017. During that time she worked with the Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research (CLEAR) where much of her work investigated plastic ingestion in locally captured food-fish. She is currently leading the Placentia Bay Ocean Debris Survey and is acting as the project coordinator for the Social License and Planning in Coastal Communities research group as a whole. Jess’ research focuses on the identification and monitoring of marine debris (predominantly plastics) in Newfoundland. Her work prioritizes collaboration with local communities and the use of open-source, accessible technologies and protocols.