Nia H René
Summary
Environmental Scientist with NOAA experience leading national coastal water monitoring initiatives and developing cutting-edge water treatment solutions. Demonstrated success in stakeholder engagement and communication, resulting in significant grant acquisitions and mentorship of emerging professionals. Proficient in compiling, processing and presenting detailed technical data. Working independently on complex projects and traveling regionally.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Environmental Scientist
United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Charleston
01.2022 - Current
- Spearheaded and managed comprehensive national-scale coastal water monitoring programs, leveraging advanced laboratory techniques (microscopy, advanced taxonomy, chromatography, mass spectrometry), while building and maintaining robust partnerships with federal agencies, research institutions, and local stakeholders to ensure program success and widespread adoption.
- Pioneered innovative water treatment technologies and green solutions for HAB mitigation and toxin control in surface waters, leading to significant improvements in water safety across lakes and estuaries. These developments have been successfully implemented in multiple coastal regions, demonstrating measurable improvements in water quality metrics.
- Established and nurtured a diverse stakeholder network, spanning farmers, urban aquaculture operators, and subsistence farming communities, empowering them through hands-on training in water quality monitoring and HAB management. Successfully expanded the program's reach by adapting methodologies for various operational scales and community needs.
- Secured and managed four major grants focused on water safety initiatives, including HAB mitigation, and environmental contaminant reduction. Mentored three graduate students while overseeing these projects, fostering the next generation of water quality specialists.
- Orchestrated impactful stakeholder engagement through strategic workshops and community events, serving as a crucial bridge between public interests and federal agencies. Provided expert technical guidance on conservation initiatives, habitat restoration, and evidence-based environmental impact assessments, while maintaining strong relationships with diverse stakeholder groups to ensure sustained program participation, and community buy-in.
Adjunct Professor
Brooklyn College, City University of New York
Brooklyn
01.2020 - 01.2024
- Taught watershed hydrology and environmental science courses while developing engaging curriculum materials and robust assessment systems to ensure student comprehension and success.
- Delivered comprehensive lectures and hands-on lab sessions, mentored student research projects, guiding them through experimental design, data analysis, and the development of scientific reports.
- Proactively established industry partnerships to create internship opportunities, thereby integrating real-world experience into the academic environment and fostering professional networks for students.
- This role allowed for blending academic rigor with practical applications, equipping students with both the theoretical knowledge and skills necessary for successful careers in environmental science.
Research Coordinator
Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York
New York
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Strategically forged robust partnerships between STEM faculty and student researchers, creating an integrated research community that enhanced collaborative learning opportunities.
- Developed and implemented innovative joint research initiatives that connected graduate and undergraduate chemistry students from New York with faculty at Beijing University of Chemical Technology in Beijing, China, establishing an international research exchange program that broadened scientific perspectives and methodologies.
- Facilitated clear communication channels among research teams through regularly hosted presentations, progress reviews, and knowledge-sharing sessions that enhanced project outcomes and team cohesion.
Chemistry Research Assistant
York College, City University of New York
New York
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Conducted scientific experiments in chemistry laboratories and performed sample preparation, extractions, synthetic organic chemistry, and analyses.
- Operated analytical instruments including HPLC, GC, IR, and NMR, while assisting in planning and analyzing research projects such as targeted drug delivery with dendrimers.
- Gathered and analyzed experimental data, maintained laboratory equipment and inventory, and documented procedures and results meticulously.
- Reviewed scientific literature and prepared written summaries, supported senior researchers with administrative tasks, and followed safety protocols and proper laboratory procedures throughout all work.
Education
Ph.D. - Earth & Environmental Sciences
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, NY01-2025
M.S. - Earth & Environmental Sciences
Brooklyn College, CUNY
Brooklyn, NY01-2019
B.S. - Chemistry
York College, CUNY
Jamaica, NY01.2015
Skills
- Program oversight
- Environmental assessments
- Stakeholder collaboration
- Effective communication
Awards
- 2025, Appointed to Interagency Working Group (IWG) for Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act
- 2025, National Ocean Service Early Career Representative to the NOAA Science Council
- 2023, Advisory Board Member, Coastal Environmental Quality Program Committee, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium
- 2019, PhD Graduate Fellowship, NOAA EPP Center for Earth Systems Sciences and Remote Sensing Technology
- 2017, M.S. Graduate Fellowship, NOAA EPP Center for Earth Systems Sciences and Remote Sensing Technology
Public Outreach
- Strengthening Coastal Resilience and Aquaculture with Gullah/Geechee Communities in the Southeast, Atlantic Coast, South Carolina, https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/strengthening-coastal-resilience-and-aquaculture-with-gullah-geechee-communities-in-the-southeast/
- NOAA NCCOS, Inspiring Students to Embrace Their Culture Through Science, South Carolina, https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/inspiring-students-to-embrace-their-culture-through-science/
- NOAA Voyage to Justice News Letter, https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/Voyage-to-Justice-Newsletter-November-Final.pdf
- NOAA NCCOS, RETI Center Create Citizen Science Opportunity for Underrepresented Communities in NYC, https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/nccos-reti-center-create-citizen-science-opportunity-for-underrepresented-communities-in-nyc/
Funding
- 2025, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Catalyzing Support for Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration, $100,000 for 1yr
- 2024, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Aquaculture, De Lil Fish Project, $15,000 for 1yr
- 2023, NOAA NMFS Office of Aquaculture, Gullah Geechee Citizen Science Approach to Monitoring Aquaculture Farms, $10,000 for 1 yr
- 2022, NOAA NMFS Office of Aquaculture, Coastal Water Monitoring and Aquaculture in Urban Areas, $8,800 for 1 yr
- 2018, Urban Water Innovation Network, Green infrastructure installation and community engagement at Brooklyn College, $20,000 for 1 yr
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Environmental Scientist
United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
01.2022 - Current
Adjunct Professor
Brooklyn College, City University of New York
01.2020 - 01.2024
Research Coordinator
Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York
01.2015 - 01.2017
Chemistry Research Assistant
York College, City University of New York
01.2013 - 01.2015
Ph.D. - Earth & Environmental Sciences
The Graduate Center, CUNY
M.S. - Earth & Environmental Sciences
Brooklyn College, CUNY
B.S. - Chemistry
York College, CUNY
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