Erin Kinney

Dr. Erin Kinney is a Senior Research Scientist (mapped to Researcher) at the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), specializing in coastal resilience and community adaptation to climate change. Her work focuses on wetland restoration, carbon/nitrogen cycling, and stakeholder engagement for ecosystem health.

• Education: PhD in Biology (Boston University Marine Program), BA in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology (Dartmouth College)

Research Interests include:

• Coastal ecosystem responses to climate change
• Wetland loss and restoration strategies
• Water/land use impacts on communities
• Resilience planning and equity frameworks

Notable Projects:

• Galveston Bay Report Card (2017–2024)
• Texas Litter Database
• Wetland Mitigation Assessments
• Hurricane Harvey environmental datasets
• Wintertime Storm Uri resilience analysis
• Houston Harris Heat Action Team (H3AT)

Scientific Awards:

• EPA Gulf Guardian Award (2022)
• Garver Black Hillyard Family Foundation grant ($100,000) for waterway trash reduction (2021)