Dr. Tracy Fanara

Dr. Tracy Fanara - Environmental Engineer- Research Scientist - Ecologist

Dr. Tracy Fanara is a fierce and fearless environmental engineer and research scientist. With a BS, ME, and PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida, Tracy has spent the last two decades fusing brainpower with boldness designing resilient water systems across the globe, chasing storms, restoring habitats, and confronting ecological threats head-on. Whether she’s tagging sharks, wrangling alligators, or testing aquaponics for NASA, Tracy thrives where adrenaline meets academia.

Her career began with a passion for animals, what she calls “the gateway drug to science.” That passion evolved into a scientific crusade to understand and protect the most vulnerable ecosystems and species from the growing threat of environmental change. She’s worked in biology labs, aquariums, and zoos, and developed groundbreaking tools for the public including three environmental data apps with over 1.7 million users and the popular VisitBeaches.org site. 

She’s been honored as a National Science Foundation SPICE fellow, a U.S. Presidential Management Fellow, and a two-time national winner of the EPA Stormwater Management Design Competition.A former competitive athlete, she played college lacrosse, hockey (on a boys’ team), rugby, and more. She brings that same drive and physical insight to her fieldwork and scientific analysis. Her approach to problem-solving blends rigorous methods with creative experimentation, and she’s particularly known for her interdisciplinary superpower: connecting dots across biology, physics, chemistry, weather, and human behavior to find unexpected solutions.