Erika Young

Bio

Erika Young joined North Carolina Sea Grant in January 2022 as the coastal and marine education specialist. She previously served on faculty at the University of North Carolina Pembroke for 13 years, teaching biology and environmental sciences and serving as a research mentor for undergraduates.

Her STEM education outreach has included programs with NC Science Festival, the Morehead Planetarium, and Boys and Girls Clubs. She especially enjoys working with students in underserved communities, as she grew up in Robeson County and is a member of the Lumbee Tribe.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the UNCP, a master’s degree from Western Carolina University, and her doctorate from UNC Chapel Hill, where she focused on aquatic ecology with emphasis in estuarine habitats, oyster biodeposition, meiofauna, and sea-level rise.