NEWS

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) fellow Lindsey Ellett is leading a project that evaluates the long-term impacts of research funded by the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC). Her work is helping shape how science and community knowledge come together to address the growing challenges of climate change across the Pacific.

Originally from rural Oregon, Ellett grew up immersed in nature, inspired by a life on a farm, tide pool explorations, and science camps. “I spent hours exploring tide pools and watching Animal Planet,” she recalls. “It made me want to understand and protect the environment around me.”

Her path in conservation began with a degree in marine biology at Oregon State University, which led her to engage in whale and dolphin research in locations as far-reaching as Massachusetts, Hawaiʻi, and Australia. She went on to earn a master’s in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana, studying international marine management in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape.

While she loved the thrill of fieldwork, Ellett also began to notice a gap between scientific recommendations and how they were actually implemented. “I saw how hard it can be to translate science into real-world conservation,” she said. “That’s when I became interested in bridging science and practice.”

Now, as an ORISE fellow, Ellett is doing just that. Her project takes a wide-angle look at PI-CASC’s portfolio of research, examining how past and current projects have made an impact and where improvements can be made. She is studying not just the science, but also the relationships and processes that shape climate adaptation work in the Pacific.

Her approach is twofold: first, analyzing reports and outputs from PI-CASC-funded projects to better understand their scope and outcomes; and second, talking directly with the people who are involved and affected by the work. So far, she has completed 17 in-depth interviews—with a goal of 50—that highlight the successes, challenges, and unexpected lessons of doing climate adaptation research in diverse island communities. A broader survey of participants and collaborators is also planned.

“PI-CASC projects represent more than just research,” Lindsey said. “They bring together people, ideas, and communities to co-create solutions. My goal is to highlight those impacts and help strengthen how we support climate adaptation moving forward.”

By evaluating where co-production has worked well and where it’s faced challenges, her research will provide PI-CASC and the broader CASC network with concrete ways to strengthen future projects.

“I love working at the intersections—between science and policy, between cultures, between ecosystems that don’t follow political boundaries,” Lindsey explained. “Those are the spaces where creative solutions emerge.”