STRIDE Student in the Spotlight: Tara Dolan
Tara Dolan, a doctoral candidate within the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, studies fisheries ecology in the lab of Prof. Anne McElroy. She is particularly interested in the way fish interact with their own environment as well as with the human environment. Her current research focuses on Winter Flounder, a species present on Long Island, as their populations have been steadily declining. As a managed species, state and federal agencies have to manage the population. These agencies are reliant on scientists like Tara to provide them with scientific data to inform their decisions.
Tara, who was selected to be a STRIDE Fellow among the initial cohort of applicants thinks very highly of the STRIDE program. She says, “I really love the philosophy behind it—how it prepares scientists to better interact with policy makers and gives them tools to make compelling data visualizations and communication tools. STRIDE really gives us the context and preparation for giving meaning to science in society.”
Tara completed her undergraduate studies in marine science at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, and subsequently completed a Master of Science degree in Marine Affairs and Policy, studying environmental monitoring and nuclear power development. Upon earning her master’s degree, Tara went on to have a number of professional experiences, including working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Washington, D.C. to develop policy for the advancement of ecosystem based fisheries management. As Tara’s motto is “never stop learning,” she then applied to the doctoral program at Stony Brook University.
Tara became interested in science after having a great science teacher in 8th grade and being placed in the accelerated track. “After that, I said, ‘science is
my thing now!’” She gravitated towards marine science because of a love for the ocean
and surfing. Having two uncles who are commercial fisherman, she spent a summer working
on the boat in Alaska. She says, “that gave me an interest in fishing and people who
make their livelihoods from the ocean.“ 
In her spare time, Tara likes to scuba dive and take photos of fish while underwater. Some of these photos have been featured on the STRIDE blog, Science Appliance, for which she is also an administrator, as well as on the cover of the 2017 STRIDE Annual Report publication. Other hobbies include kayaking, playing with her dog, and creating parody songs for fun.
As far as future plans, Tara says, “I had a really good experience while doing the Knauss Fellowship and saw all these government scientists who were so dedicated to just improving the way we manage fisheries in the US and with our international allies. It was inspiring how apolitical it was; They truly believed in the mission. I’d like to work in government—possibly for NOAA as a fisheries ecologist. I would also enjoy teaching. It depends on which opportunities present.”