Samantha is the Assistant Program Director of the new Coastal Geographic Research and Applied Sciences Program for the Marine Geology Department at the Center for Coastal Studies. Samantha specializes in characterizing relationship
s through spatial analyses and data visualization centered around effective communication of complex scientific information related to coastal resources, resilience, and human use. Recent and ongoing projects include inter-municipal shoreline management, century-scale sediment budget and a historical 3-dimensional seafloor surface of Cape Cod Bay.
Samantha McFarland received an MS in Marine Science and Technology from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2019. Her research focused on UAS based surveying of beach and back barrier environments for 3D spatial analyses using GIS and structure from motion to quantify episodic and seasonal morphological variability.
EDUCATION
- MS, Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 2019
- Advanced GIS Certificate, University of Missouri - Kansas City, 2014
- BA, Geology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, 2010
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
- Dec 2020 – Present Assistant Program Director, Coastal Geographic Research and Applied Sciences Program, Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA
- Jan 2020 - Dec 2020 Geospatial Data Specialist, Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA
- 2017 - 2019 Graduate Research Assistant, Coastal Processes and Ecosystems (CAPE) Lab, University of Massachusetts Boston and Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA
- 2015 - 2017 Research Assistant, Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA
- 2015 Natural Resource Management GIS Intern, National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore
- 2014 GIS Consultant, National Park Service, Bluestone National Scenic River, Gauley River National Recreational Area
- 2012 Natural Resource Conservation Volunteer, Peace Corps, Tena Napo, Ecuador