Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Dr. Alison Cawood is the Director of Public Engagement at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). In this role, she oversees SERC's environmental education, participatory science, internships and fellowships, and public programs. Through all of the programs, she works to make SERC science accessible and relevant to a wide range of audiences.

Dr. Cawood came to SERC in 2014 as the participatory science coordinator. Prior to coming to SERC, she worked as an adjuct professor at the University of San Diego and as an instructor with Reality Changers, an educational non-profit that provides mentoring and support for aspiring first generation college students. 

Alison earned her Ph.D. in Oceanography from Scripps Institutuion of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. She earned bachelors' degrees in Marine Biology and Hispanic Studies from the College of Charleston.