Marina Karastamatis, M.A.
Research Coordinator I
Marina Karastamatis serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as a Research Coordinator I in Community Engagement. In this role, she is responsible for assisting with the coordination and facilitation of the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP), a ground-breaking online master's degree that combines web-based graduate courses through Miami University (Oxford, OH) with face-to-face experiential learning and field study at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance sites and the surrounding Southern California region. The AIP immerses students in collaborative inquiry and action as they champion change. It is designed for students from a range of backgrounds and career stages. With professional and academic mentoring and self-designed Master Plans, students adapt their degree path to fit their interests in fields such as community-engaged conservation, inquiry-driven education, environmental justice, learning across K-12 and informal settings, animal care and welfare, green business innovation, climate change, urban ecology, human-nature relationships, environmental restoration, and public engagement in science.
Marina earned her bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego, and her master’s degree in Biology from Miami University in the Advanced Inquiry Program in association with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Her master’s research focused on the role of visual media in shaping public perceptions of threatened species and environmental issues, and how media can be used as a tool to promote positive attitudes, beliefs, and action towards conservation. As a graduate of the program, she now strives to support and encourage current students drawing from her own experience. Prior to joining the Conservation Science Wildlife Health team, Marina spent five years at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as an Animal Handler, where she cared for and worked with a variety of animal ambassadors, and delivered engaging and educational presentations to the public. She is enthusiastic about wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship, and aims to incorporate these passions into all aspects of her work with the Community Engagement team.