Marjahn Finlayson Curriculum Vitae
Education
PhD Future Earth, Climate Change & Societal Challenges, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy - November 2023 - Present
Research at the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Advisors: Simona Simoncelli and Enrico Baglione)
MRes Climate & Atmospheric Science (Upper Second-Class Honours; 2:1), University of Leeds, Leeds, UK - Sept 2019 - Sept 2020
Dissertation: Projected Changes in Tropical Cyclone Activity in the North Atlantic Basin: How Will Major Hurricanes Affect The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos in the Near Future? (Advisors: Amanda Maycock, Juliane Schwendike)
Bachelor of Arts & Sciences, Earth & Environmental Sciences (Honors Program; GPA 3.13 ), Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA - Sept 2011 - May 2015
Career Summary
Research Scientist (Part-time), Cat Island Conservation Institute and Youth Marine Explorers, May 2023 - October 2023
Conducts research on climate change and tropical cyclones
Collaborates with national and international organizations on research and programming, e.g. Black In Marine Science
Provides reporting with climate impact services
Chief Project Officer (Part-time), Astronoir Earth and Space Research Alliance Ltd., October 2022 - Present
Organizes events and publication write-ups
Writes educational curriculum
Hosts events
Manages interns
Director, Climate Impact Services & Education Consultant, ClimateEdu Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas, Aug 2022 - Present
Provides weekly climate impact service via The Fin Forecast
Creates annual tropical cyclone season report
Supplies educational content for teachers and educational programming focused on climate change in The Bahamas
Offers freelance consulting for environmental and climate justice organizations
2023 Open Climate Fellow, Open Climate Environmental Data Open Climate Fellowship & Wikimedia Alliances Fund, Remote, Feb 2023 - June 2023
Using projects (ClimateEdu Bahamas and DAPS) to establish a collective “green city mindset” in small communities all over the country with the aim of influencing rural community development, increasing climate education and introducing more sustainability.
Research Scientist (Climate, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Cape Eleuthera Institute, Deep Creek, Eleuthera, Bahamas, Jan 2021 - Feb 2023
Conducted climate and hurricane research, which includes working with NOAA and the University of Miami on the hurricane underwater sea glider project
Conducted weekly weather forecasts and maintains weather station operations and observations
Monitored tropical cyclone development for South Eleuthera
Operations Analyst, Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center, Nassau, Bahamas, Feb 2019 – Sept 2019
Managed consultants and administrative assistants and ran monthly payroll for part-time consultants.
Delivered technical and administrative assistance to the Senior Business Analyst and Executive Director, and supervised daily customer-consultant interactions throughout the country.
Analyzed SBDC registration, employee and customer service data for reporting weekly and upon request by supervisors.
Office Administrator & Customer Service Representative, Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center, Nassau, Bahamas, Aug 2018 – Jan 2019
Assisted senior staff and part-time consultants daily.
Developed and managed customer service daily.
Teaching Experience
Research Scientist (Climate, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Cape Eleuthera Institute, Deep Creek, Eleuthera, Bahamas, Jan 2021 - Feb 2023
Taught a semester school research class with high school students on topics ranging from social science and physical science
Held guest lectures and taught other educational programming for students from kindergarten to undergraduate university
STEM High School Teacher, The Tambearly School, Nassau, Bahamas, Aug 2017 – Jun 2018
Taught high school math (grades 8 - 10) and middle school science (grade 8) for 40 students
Courses: Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and General Science
Volunteered at Bahamas Humane Society and led student groups biweekly.
Earth Science & Meteorology Instructor/In-House Meteorologist, Talcott Mountain Science Center, Avon, CT, USA, Jan 2016 – Jun 2017
Created curricula for physics, meteorology and earth science for kindergarten to eighth grade (10 - 12 students per class)
Taught complicated sciences to varied groups during the school year and school holidays.
Forecasted weather for Talcott Mountain Science Center and mentored a group of students to make weather predictions.
Teacher-In-Residence, Achievement First Hartford High School, Hartford CT, USA, Jul 2015 – Jan 2016
Collaborated with teachers in special education, mathematics and science classes.
Trained under the New Generation Science Standard curriculum.
Leadership & Extra-Curricular
Member of the Pool of Experts, the United Nations Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects, Oct 2023 - Present
Lead-Coordinator & Operations, Black In Marine Science, Bahamas Division, May 2023 - Present
Organizes BIMS Immersion Programs for divers in The Bahamas
Maintains BIMS cohort in The Bahamas through YME Bahamas
General Secretary & Lead-Coordinator, Development. Advancement. Preservation. Sustainability (DAPS), Dec 2021 - Present
Plans events for clothes redistribution and runs logistics
Writes grants for funding projects
Creates newsletter to update the progress of the enterprise
Organizes meetings with the leadership team and volunteers
Received Open Climate Fellowship to build work in this social enterprise
Research Scientist (Climate, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Cape Eleuthera Institute, Deep Creek, Eleuthera, Bahamas, Jan 2021 - Feb 2023
Member of the Island School Belonging committee, focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging among students and staff
Member of the hurricane preparedness committee
Founded a professional development lecture series for Cape Eleuthera Institute staff and Island School staff and students
Developed an educational series and curriculum called ClimateEdu Bahamas for teachers and students across the country
Nationally Determined Contribution Youth Review Committee Member, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Unit Office of the Prime Minister, Aug - Sept 2022
Helped contribute to The Bahamas' NDCs before COP27
Expert Reviewer, First Order Draft of the Synthesis Report of the IPCC AR6, Jan - Mar 2022
Justice, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee Member & Social Media Manager, Geosciences Education & Mentorship Support Program (GEMS), Jan 2021 - Jan 2022
Board Member & Secretary, Safe Space Foundation, Oct 2020 - Present
Content Leader & Organizer, #BlackInGeoscience Social Media Campaign, Aug - Sept 2020; Aug - Sept 2021
Expert Reviewer, Second-Order Draft (SOD) of the Working Group I (WGI) contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, Chapter 11:Weather and climate extreme events in a changing climate, Mar 2020 – Jun 2020
Teacher Participant, Biomedical Engineering and STEM (BME) -4-STEM program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, USA, Jul 2017
Certifications
Climate Services and Climate Impact Modelling (Online), Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, UK, 2023
Skills
Computer languages: Python, NCAR Command Language
Computer applications: R, GrADS, GIS
Core Competencies: Operational logistics, campaign and event planning and execution, curriculum development, and community outreach and engagement
Languages: Spanish
Publications & Reports
Finlayson, Marjahn; Brown, Zoe; Thomas, Adelle (2023): Perceptions on Climate Change in South Eleuthera and the wider Bahamas. Cape Eleuthera Institute. Report. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22002539.v1
Finlayson, Marjahn (2023): A Year in Weather at Cape Eleuthera (2022). Cape Eleuthera Institute. Report. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21983048.v1
Finlayson, Marjahn (2022): 2022 North Atlantic Hurricane Forecast: Concerns for The Bahamas. Cape Eleuthera Institute. Report. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20146925.v1
Le Henaff, M., Goni, G. J., Bringas, F., Chardon-Maldonado, P., Morell, J. M., Kim, H. S., ... & Finlayson, M. (2021, December). Hurricane glider operations in the Caribbean region for hurricane research and forecasts. In AGU Fall Meeting 2021. AGU.
Finlayson, Marjahn; Thomas, Adelle; Nicolls, Tatjana (2022): Climate Change & The Bahamas Information Brief. Cape Eleuthera Institute. Online resource. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19620876.v1
Finlayson, M. D. (2015). Influence of ENSO on Tropical Cyclones in North Atlantic in a high-resolution climate model. https://doi.org/10.14418/wes01.1.1176
Hiam, N., Díaz, S., Essuman, A., Finlayson, M., & Sheth-Shah, A. (2015). Productivity indices from leaf chemistry: A study of pollution effects in Puerto Rican Rhizophora mangle. Acta Científica, 29(1-3), 35-40.
Torgerson, J. W., Skolnik, J., Eren, A., Krieger, N., Cobb, C., & Sachs, C. (2021). Constantinople as Palimpsest.
Media Features
Tamar. Saluting our Sisters this Black History Month. 2023. Action for Conservation. https://www.actionforconservation.org/post/saluting-our-sisters-this-black-history-month.
Youri Kemp. "‘Racism and elitism’ hit climate change efforts". 2023. The Tribune (Bahamas). http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jul/31/racism-and-elitism-hit-climate-change-efforts/
Marlena Leonard. “King Charles Knows Your Name!”. 2023. Our News Bahamas. https://ournews.bs/king-charles-knows-your-name/
Marlena Leonard. “Heatwaves an Invisible Killer”. 2023. Our News Bahamas. https://ournews.bs/heatwaves-an-invisible-killer/
Marlena Leonard. “Thrift Shopping Can Help the Environment". 2023. Our News Bahamas. https://ournews.bs/thrift-shopping-can-help-the-environment/
Barber. "The Trillion-Dollar Auction to Save the World."2023. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/seagrass-humble-ocean-plant-worth-trillions/
Gelles. "In the Bahamas, a Constant Race to Adapt to Climate Change." 2023. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/climate/bahamas-climate-change.html
Kabukuru. “East coast African states ail from too much, too little rain.” 2023. The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/east-africa-cyclone-drought-la-nina-climate-change-f4e0258e423631cee82c4e041b7f6e8f
Zornosa. “Why Abbott Elementary's Charter Schools Arc Hit Home for Teachers.” 2023. TIME. https://time.com/6264261/abbott-elementary-charter-school-teachers/
“Hurricanes and climate justice in the Caribbean with Marjahn Finlayson.” 2023. The Black Earth Podcast [Podcast]. https://www.blackearthpodcast.com/episodes/hurricanes-and-climate-justice-in-the-caribbean-with-marjahn-finlayson
Darling. "Blue carbon credits, not a climate change solution." 2022. Eyewitness News. https://ewnews.com/blue-carbon-credits-not-a-climate-change-solution
D'Souza. "When race and natural hazards intersect: three geoscientists share their experiences." 2022. European Geosciences Union GeoBlogs. https://blogs.egu.eu/geolog/2022/10/26/what-happens-when-race-and-natural-hazards-intersect-three-geoscientists-share-their-experiences/
Finlayson & Darby, “The Problem with The Bahamas’ Blue Carbon Market Plans.” 2022. Climate Home News. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2022/08/03/the-problem-with-the-bahamas-blue-carbon-market-plans/
"Why this climate scientist is worried the Bahamas won’t exist in 50 years." 2022. The Decibel [Podcast]. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/the-decibel/article-why-this-climate-scientist-is-worried-the-bahamas-wont-exist-in-50/
"Climate Change and Hurricanes" 2022. The GeoTrip. https://anchor.fm/thegeotrip/episodes/Climate-Change-and-Hurricanes-e1iubhs
"Spotlight: Marjahn Finlayson". 2022. The Climate Press. https://theclimatepress.com/spotlights/marjahn-finlayson/
Jones. "TRACKING STORMS: Underwater drone improving hurricane intensity forecast in real-time." 2021. Eyewitness News. https://ewnews.com/tracking-storms-underwater-drone-improving-hurricane-intensity-forecast-in-real-time
Honours & Awards
Open Climate Fellowship, January - May 2023
US Embassy Environmental Education Grant, April 2022
Conferences
American Meteorological Society Washington Forum, Washington D.C., USA, 24 - 26 Apr 2022
Caribbean Climate Modelling Consortium Meeting (Virtual), 1 - 2 Jun 2021
Royal Society Commonwealth Science Conference (Virtual), 22 - 27 Feb 2021
Institute of Climate and Atmospheric Science Annual Meeting, Leeds, UK, 5 Nov 2019
GSA Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 19 - 22 Oct 2014
GSA Northeastern Section - 49th Annual Meeting, Lanchester, PA, USA, 23–25 Mar 2014
Email: marjahn.finlayson@gmail.com