Susan White

Susan White serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University (NC State). She is also the Executive Director of North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC Water Resources Research Institute, both housed at NC State. Her roles focus on integrating science into coastal and water resource management, addressing environmental challenges through research, outreach, and education.

• Ph.D. in Marine Science, University of Georgia (2004)
• B.S. in Biology, Duke University (1997)

Her research expertise spans estuarine ecology, climate change impacts, freshwater-coastal interactions, and policy development. She develops genomic/molecular tools for coastal health monitoring and advocates for mountain-to-sea watershed approaches to environmental management. Previously, she directed NOAA’s Hollings Marine Laboratory and served in national roles coordinating estuarine research and climate policy initiatives.

Her work emphasizes translating scientific findings into actionable policy, particularly regarding coastal zone management, drought monitoring systems, and early warning frameworks for ecosystem health.