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Renee Takesue

Research Geologist with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

I grew up exploring tide pools and visiting family who threw nets to catch reef fish and harvested ʻopihi. This close connection with the ocean from an early age shaped my path to become a marine scientist. My degrees in oceanography taught me to use physical sciences to understand influences on coastal resources. I study land-to-sea runoff of sediment and contaminants driven by both natural processes and human activities and their effects on coastal communities. My studies span a wide range of topics – urban contaminants in nearshore food webs, wildfire contaminants entering coastal streams and biota, post-hurricane mass wasting to coral reefs, and blue carbon burial in seagrass beds. Insights about how these systems function help decision-makers balance the needs of society and well-functioning ecosystems that provide resources, reduce risks from climate change, and improve human well-being.