Profile
Alyssa J. Griffin is a Ph.D. candidate in Oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO). Concentrating in Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, her research focuses on how coral reef ecosystems will respond to changing ocean chemistry and climate change. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Geology and Religion (double-major) from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and went on to receive a Master’s degree in Geochemistry (also from Temple University), studying a potential method for carbon sequestration and nuclear waste disposal. Alyssa is passionate about changing the face of STEM and creating meaningful pathways for students from underrepresented communities to pursue higher education and STEM careers. She has served as an inaugural SIO Community Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion Fellow as well as an organizer for Women and Minorities in Science, an SIO led group which she hopes to expand to other institutions. Alyssa also works with organizations such as the Fleet Science Center, Ocean Discovery Institute and League of Extraordinary Scientists to bring ocean and earth science out of the lab and into the greater San Diego community. For her work on and off campus, Alyssa received the 2018 UCSD Inclusive Excellence Award. Alyssa plans to pursue an academic career where she hopes to run a successful academic research group, mentor and teach increasingly diverse generations of geoscientists and serve as visible representation for women and minorities in the earth sciences.
