As Program Manager – Circular Design, Megan leads the U.S. Plastics Pact’s initiatives on design for circularity and elimination of problematic and unnecessary materials, and she helps our Activators prioritize packaging strategies for material reduction, reuse, recyclability, and compostability. She brings a strategic approach to the Pact, blending a lifelong passion for resource conservation with her love of data and design. Megan shares her time as a team member of both USPP and the Association of Plastic Recyclers.
Why I care about Recycling and a Circular Economy
“Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I got to see how natural resource extraction and waste have altered the landscape and affected people’s lives. While training as a scientist, I realized that studying the problem was not going to fix it. We need systems-level interventions to use resources wisely and change the way we consume.”
Personal Passions and Interests
Megan enjoys as much screen-free time as possible. If you encounter her in the wild, you’ll probably find her reading, fiddling with a creative project, exploring the outdoors, or eating invasive species.
Highlights
· Degrees in Ecosystem Science and Marine & Coastal Sciences
· Independent research in ecotoxicology; first place winner for undergraduate research at the 2016 UMass Boston Environmental Research Colloquium
· Phi Beta Kappa, 21st Century Scholar, and Sarah Williston Scholar
· Global Insights Winner, McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives