Joy Hunter Merino

Joy is a coastal ecologist with wetland restoration, management, and submersed aquatic vegetation research experience. Her specialty has been critical analysis of processes, e.g., philosophical, social, or environmental.

In 2023, Joy completed a detail serving as chief of staff for science planning and operations for the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and served the agency many years as an agency representative with Operations, Management, and Information duties including administration, acquisitions, facility management, and contracting.

Her interest in long-term planning for ecosystems is suited to a developed interest in organizational structure and policy support. Her varied interests and strengths aide SEFSC in collaborations that range from internal to external partners: from facilitating the division in aligning research to conservation developments to identifying a funding governance structure with the Caribbean FMC Science and Statistics Committee.

During 20 years teamed with the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Southeast Regional Office, and the Restoration Center, duties met Joy's desire for collaborative environmental policy work for which she holds a Team Achievement award from the U.S. Army Corp and State of Louisiana. She also holds a Coastal America Partnership award from the White House and Department of Commerce Bronze Metal for superior Federal service. The habitat planning was a cooperative effort of the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where she documented NEPA compliance, reviewed project performance, and was co-located at New Orleans along the Mississippi River for large-scale coastwide preservation planning.

Joy is featured in our Faces of the Southeast Science Center Series. Read more about Joy

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