MEGHAN M. SHEA
Researching the human and scientific dimensions of marine environmental DNA
I am a PhD candidate in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment & Resources at Stanford University, where I study how to best use environmental DNA (eDNA)—little bits of DNA left behind by organisms in their ecosystems—for marine biodiversity monitoring. My interdisciplinary approach blends science & technology studies and ocean sciences, drawing on my dual training as a social scientist and engineer. Working from the archives to the laboratory to the field, I advance eDNA tools while interrogating their social context and epistemic implications. Prior to my PhD, I received an MPhil in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and a BS in Environmental Systems Engineering from Stanford.
Research
During my PhD, I’ve done a wide variety of different projects: all centered around the use of marine environmental DNA for biodiversity monitoring. Sometimes, I do field and laboratory research to characterize the resolution of eDNA data in complex coastal environments such as rocky intertidal ecosystems. My recent work has shown that eDNA samples can distinguish between individual tide pools, resolving ecological differences in intertidal ecosystems at smaller scales than previously known. Now, I’m studying how species detected via eDNA compare with intertidal visual monitoring programs, especially those involving community scientists, and I’m also analyzing samples I collected alongside visual quadrat surveys on the Hewatt-Sagarin Transect in Pacific Grove, CA.
At the same time, I draw on an array of social science methods to study frictions in how people understand, and seek to use, eDNA data. I draw on archival research and participant observation with first-time eDNA sample collectors to find that an enduring focus on visual observations in intertidal research hinders trust in eDNA data among community scientists. I also trace similar concerns among oceanographers participating in a research cruise that is generating eDNA data for the first time.
I also research applications of eDNA data. I have published on eDNA data storage and accessibility challenges, and I have studied the burgeoning uses of eDNA tools with community science projects. For the latter project, we also designed a public website to showcase our research findings and the many initiatives already using eDNA with the public.
Previously, I have also published media studies research (on representations of Pacific islands and climate change, how those representations interact with UN climate conferences, and animal agriculture in the media), empirical research and commentary on the marginalization of Indigenous Peoples in UN climate conferences, and microbial source tracking work. You can learn more about my research, find my publications, and see my code through the buttons below:
Teaching
This interdisciplinary seminar examines human dimensions of current ocean issues through a series of readings, discussions, and guest lecturer presentations. Through the lenses offered by multiple disciplines and fields, we will examine and reinterpret the challenges of fisheries management, climate change, conservation/restoration, and human rights. We will welcome specialists in industry, academia, law, and the nonprofit sector to discuss theories of change for ocean issues, with a particular emphasis on marine justice. We invite students to create and share their own “Social Ocean Project” synthesizing course themes and personal reflections.
Co-Designer and Instructor with Caroline Ferguson in Spring 2020 (View Syllabus)
Co-Designer and Instructor with Rachel Carlson in Winter 2021 (View Syllabus)
“Stanford University is filled with dedicated, wonderful professors and instructors. Despite this, Meghan and Caroline stand out to me. I’ve never had instructors so willing to meet with students and talk to them about anything! My life is truly different because of these two remarkable individuals.”
“Meghan and Caroline did an excellent job making the most out of Zoom and helping create a safe and reflective discussion space despite the technological/logistical limitations of this quarter.”
The Anthropocene designates the present geological epoch, in which humans have irreversibly changed planet Earth, with impacts discernible in the atmosphere, biosphere, and more. The term has also become a “charismatic mega-category” in the humanities and social sciences, where some critique the very concept, while others focus on how power dynamics, political economy, racial capitalism, and human/non-human relations manifest–and often accelerate–Anthropocenic transformations. This PhD-level course dives into these debates, drawing on work in a wide range of fields in the humanities, social sciences, arts, and natural science (the latter with works accessible to non-expert audiences). The course involves considerable reading. Written assignments will be varied and often experimental. The format of the final assignment will be flexible, with options that can be adapted to the needs and interests of individual students.
Co-Designer and Course Assistant with Dr. Gabrielle Hecht in Fall 2022 (View Syllabus)
Details Coming Soon
Teaching Assistant with Dr. Kyoko Sato in Spring 2022
Media
ICHO Conference Grant – Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) Annual Meeting | International Commission of the History of Oceanography Blog | 2023
Message to COP 24 Delegates: Take Action on Climate Now | Sierra Magazine | 2018
Trying to Save an Endangered Islands’ Cultural Heritage | Climate Central | 2016
Many ways to reform the science fair system | Stat News | 2016
Sounds of the Ocean | Generation Anthropocene | 2017
Interview: Ryan Kelly | Generation Anthropocene | 2017
2016 West Coast Ocean Acidification Cruise Blog | Coordinator | 2016
Anthroposphere: The Oxford Climate Review | Managing Editor | 2018
Stanford senior award 2017 Rhodes Scholarship | Stanford News | 2016
Two Philadelphia-area students score prestigious Rhodes Scholarships | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2016
Science takes this Society alumna all over the world | Society for Science & the Public | 2016
Stanford students spend summer seeking environmental solutions | Stanford News | 2015
10 Innovators Who Changed the World in 2013 | Popular Mechanics | 2013
Art
I love telling stories with photos and videos, especially about scientific research. My photos have been featured in The Guardian, The Nation, The Washington Post, Grist, Sierra Magazine, the Stanford Earth calendar, and more. I’ve also won the 2022 Stanford Earth photo contest and had my research photography featured in the 2024 Stanford Art of Science exhibition.
I’m also fascinated by reusing and repurposing old materials, with a focus on plastic bags and paper as mediums.
