Dr. Megan
Moore

About

Dr. Megan Moore is the Sea Grant Extension Agent II for Pasco County. As a native of Pasco County, Florida, she grew up in the coastal town of New Port Richey, where she developed her interest in the natural world around her. Spending most weekends engaged in activities like boating, fishing, scalloping, scuba diving, and kayaking, she developed a deep connection with the coastal marine environment.

Motivated by her passion for the natural world, Megan earned her B.S. in Geology from the University of South Florida, researching topics such as oyster reef habitat resiliency, saltwater intrusion, and paleoclimatology. Seeking to deepen her understanding of marine systems, she pursued her Ph.D. in Marine Geosciences from the University of Miami: Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science. Her doctoral research evaluated the environmental impacts of sea level changes, agricultural pollution, water quality, and biogeochemical processes on marine carbonate systems. During her time in Miami, Dr. Moore also dedicated herself to community outreach and educating youth about marine science.

County Extension Programming

Pasco County, situated along the west central coast of Florida, is bordered by the coastal counties of Hernando, Pinellas, and Hillsborough. The county spans approximately 24 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, encompassing the southernmost region of the Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve. The county features a mix of open spaces and developed areas, with its coastlines characterized by barrier islands, salt marshes, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and oyster reefs. Important waterways such as the Anclote and Pithlachascotee Rivers drain into the Gulf of Mexico waters, while wilderness areas and preserves are interspersed among residential communities. Two major state parks, Anclote Key Preserve and Werner-Boyce Salt Springs, cover nearly 16,000 acres of coastal terrain, including sandy beaches, wetlands, tidal creeks, and small artesian springs. Pasco County is often referred to as the “Sports Coast”, with scenic coastlines and an extensive fishery driving community recreation and ecotourism.

As the Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent for Pasco County, her programming focuses on coastal resiliency, water quality, and enhancing marine and coastal environmental literacy stewardship.