Gabriela (Gabi) Carr is a first year PhD student interested in improving coastal infrastructure as marine habitat. Born and raised in New York City, she has long been fascinated by urban habitats. In her undergraduate research as a biology major at Northwestern University, her research ranged widely from studying soil in restored prairies, to the behavior of rehabilitated squirrel monkeys, to the impacts of ocean acidification on gastropod egg masses. After teaching marine and river education for K through 12 in Los Angeles, she went on to complete her Master’s in Marine Affairs at the University of Washington. There she researched how septic systems, flooded by sea level rise, will impact water quality at Washington shellfish harvest sites. At IoES she looks forward to combining marine science and coastal engineering perspectives to help improve the way we build and live on the water.