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Val always wanted to live by the ocean. In 1976, she was hired to teach on Nantucket, and earned her Master’s in Marine Biology from Boston University in 1984. Afterwards she established the NHS Marine Program, and wrote the textbook for the course, rich with field and laboratory experiences. 

After retirement in 2004, Val was recruited by Bob Kennedy to join the MMA Scallop Project. Always a student at heart, she began a graduate program in Oceanography at UMass, and used several summers of research in Nantucket Harbor as her dissertation topic. 

Val became involved early on with the MMA, first as a founder of the Aquarium, then as a member of the Board of Directors. She also served on search committees for Bob Kennedy and Vladimir Strelnitski. Val was appointed a Research Associate in 2006. 

Val was awarded her PhD in 2014, and continues her marine research and mentoring program, aided by her many students and MMA interns.

Favorite Beach on Nantucket

Val guesses her favorite beach would have to be Pocomo, because it has two sides, allowing you to get out of the wind as well as experience totally different habitats. In addition, you can watch all the kite-boarders do their acrobatics.