USC Sea Grant Welcomes New Director, Dr. Karla Heidelberg

The University of Southern California (USC) Grant is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Karla Heidelberg as the new USC Sea Grant Director, beginning January 2023. Dr. Heidelberg brings over 23 years of experience as a scientist, educator, and leader in ocean research, education, policy, and public engagement. She replaces USC Sea Grant’s recently retired director Linda Duguay, who led USC Sea Grant from 2000 to 2022.

Prior to taking the USC Sea Grant Directorship, Dr. Heidelberg served as Program Director for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs. There, she oversaw the Organisms and Ecosystems Research Portfolio for the U.S. Science Program in Antarctica – a region experiencing one of the fastest rates of climate change in the world.

As USC Sea Grant Director, Dr. Heidelberg leads the collaboration between the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and USC, building stronger partnerships with California universities, the public sector, and state natural resource managers, working together toward the common goal of promoting resilience in our region’s ocean and coastal communities. 

“USC Sea Grant’s mission – to contribute to solving the problems of the Urban Ocean through fostering the public’s understanding of coastal, ocean, and social science, and funding relevant, innovative science to inform better decision-making and improve the quality of life in coastal regions across Southern California – is one I deeply believe in,” expresses Karla. “Further, USC Sea Grant’s Urban Ocean theme allows our program to stand out as a leader in addressing problems specifically related to urbanization. Now, more than ever, there is a need to create and foster innovative public-private partnerships and targeted community engagement programs for research and education, especially in heavily populated regions.” 

Dr. Heidelberg has a longstanding career with USC and has held multiple faculty positions over the past 17 years at the university. During her time at USC, she has also held several leadership roles, including serving as the Director of the USC Program in Environmental Studies from 2013-2019 and as a leader in the long-running NSF-funded Wrigley Institute Research Experience for Undergraduates. She has also been recognized as a USC Center for Excellence in Teaching Faculty Fellow from 2017-2019 and received the USC Associates Award for Excellence In Teaching in 2017.

She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in the Marine-Estuarine and Environmental Science Program and her Bachelor’s degree from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee. After a postdoc, she was selected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Diplomacy Fellow and worked from 2001-2003 as a marine science policy analyst in the Office of Oceans Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. She then joined the J. Craig Venter Institute to coordinate a global research expedition to evaluate marine biodiversity between 2003 and 2006 before landing at USC. Her research on coral reefs and microbial ecology has taken her to many sites in the U.S. and around the world. 

“I’m excited to welcome Karla as the new Director of our Sea Grant Program,” says Phyllis Grifman, Executive Director of USC Sea Grant. “We are looking forward to working on new ideas and projects. Karla brings a deep knowledge of marine science as well as a commitment to collaboration and collegiality, which is critical for the type of work that Sea Grant does. We are excited about her contagious energy and enthusiasm.”

“The USC Sea Grant Program has a wonderfully strong team of staff, extension faculty, and educators with great expertise in supporting research and outreach programs to advance marine issues impacting the lives and livelihoods of Californians,” shares Karla. “I am excited for the opportunity to work closely with the topics that deeply matter to me, and I look forward to providing leadership in this vital area of work.”