EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts in Biology, emphasis in Marine Biology (Honors, Cum Laude)

Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA

May 2022

AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS

Honors in Biology (2022)

Maria Pereyra Award for Research in Biology (2021)

Norris Science Scholar Fellowship (2021-2022)

Occidental College Presidential Scholarship (2018-2022)

Wentcher Foundation Scholarship (2018-2022)

Occidental College Dean’s List (F2018, F2019, S/F2020, S/F2021, S2022)

RESEARCH

Lab Manager & Staff Researcher

Sandin Lab, Scripps Institution of Oceanography – UC San Diego

June 2023 – Present

Tropical Ecology Researcher, Richter Fellow

La Selva Biological Field Station, Organization for Tropical Studies

May 2022 – June 2022

Norris Science Scholar Fellow, Independent Researcher, Assistant Curator

Cosman Shell Collection, Occidental College

January 2019 – May 2022

Marine Ecology Researcher & Lab Member

Marine Ecology Research Lab, Occidental College

September 2018 – May 2022

UN Sustainable Development Goals Biodiversity Research Intern

LA Sanitation & Environment, LA Mayor’s Office

June 2020 – August 2020

Interdisciplinary Climate Change Research Intern

One Earth (NGO)

May 2019 – September 2019

PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS

McClaran Shirley and Amber Stubler. “Understanding the Effects of Ocean Acidification on Gastropods Through the Cosman Shell Collection.”

• Gave a talk at Benthic Ecology Meeting 2022 in Portsmouth, NH.

• Gave a talk for my Honors in Biology thesis presentation (2022), in Los Angeles, CA

• Presented poster virtually at Western Society of Naturalists 2021.

• Gave a talk at Occidental College Summer Research Program Conference 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. 

• Presented poster virtually at Southern California Academy of Science Conference 2021.

McClaran Shirley, Alejandra Perez-Enriquez, Joseph Shiina, and Mira Ranganath. “Polychrus gutturosus (Berthold’s Bush Anole). Predation.” Herpetological Review 53(4). 2022. (x)

LEADERSHIP & EDUCATION

Educator & Volunteer Coordinator

California Climate Action Corps Fellow, at California Conservation Corps – San Diego

September 2022 – May 2023

Biostatistics (BIO 268) & Marine Biology (BIO 105) Teaching Assistant

Biology Department, Occidental College

August 2021 – May 2022 

Co-President

Oxy350 Climate & Sustainability Club

September 2018 – May 2021