Dr. Jennifer Beseres Pollack is a marine biologist and the Chair for Coastal Conservation and Restoration at the Harte Research Institute. She was born in Minnesota and grew up surrounded by lakes, which sparked her interest in nature and ecology. She pursued her undergraduate degree in environmental science at Northwestern University, where she carved out a niche for herself within ecology. Dr. Pollack gained a variety of experiences through internships, including one in marine science that solidified her love for the field. After teaching for a year in an outdoor environmental education program, she attended graduate school at the University of South Carolina in a marine science program. She completed her master’s and PhD before joining the Harte Research Institute for a postdoc in 2007, where she worked with Paul Montagna on understanding the impact of freshwater inflows on communities in the coastal bays in Texas.

Scope and Content Note
This interview with Dr. Jennifer Beseres Pollack, conducted by Dr. Jen Brown on January 8, 2021, provides an in-depth look into Dr. Pollack's life, career, and research in marine biology and oyster restoration. The interview begins with Dr. Pollack discussing her early life in Minnesota, her undergraduate studies at Northwestern University, and her journey into marine science. She shares her experiences with various internships and how they helped her discover her passion for marine science. Dr. Pollack also discusses her time at the University of South Carolina, where she pursued her master’s and PhD, and her subsequent postdoc at the Harte Research Institute. She talks about her research on the impact of freshwater inflows on communities in the coastal bays in Texas. The interview also touches on Dr. Pollack's views on success, attributing her achievements to her flexibility, adaptability, competitiveness, and the support of her research staff. She emphasizes the importance of teamwork and acknowledges the significant role her team plays in her success. Towards the end of the interview, Dr. Pollack reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her research. She discusses the challenges of maintaining timely sampling during the pandemic and the modifications they had to make to their approaches to ensure safety.