Alexandra Vance

Alexandra grew up surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, which inevitably shaped her lifelong passion for marine science and conservation. Her childhood was spent playing ‘marine biologist’ on the shores of the Maritime provinces, and this directly translated to her later academic and professional career pathways.

Alexandra attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and achieved a BSc with a double major in Biology and Environmental Sciences, as well as a Master’s of Marine Management with a focus on Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management (ICOM). Her research, which investigated the relationship between eelgrass and bivalve aquaculture at various spatial scales, allowed her greater insights and appreciation for the complexity of local marine ecosystems and their many interconnected political-science-public spheres.

Alexandra has worked alongside Indigenous rights-holders, stakeholders, academia, government and non-government agencies as well as with coastal communities and the public at large. Among her vocations, she has served as a marine research expedition coordinator which has taken her to each of Canada’s three oceans to survey and protect deep-sea corals and sponges. She has also been a primary responder for a local marine animal response organization and the lead biologist for the only marine protected area in the Southern Gulf of St Lawrence.

Alexandra is passionate about the intersection of social-environmental justice, promoting ocean literacy through effective science communication, and youth mentorship. She is an active volunteer within her community and enjoys spending her spare time in nature, especially along the coast.