Alexandra Yingst

Although Aly grew up in landlocked Pennsylvania, she has always been drawn to the sea. As soon as she turned 18, she became a NAUI divemaster, and a few years later, a scuba instructor. As an undergraduate, she studied mangrove forests and coral reefs with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. But the more she studied the natural world, the more she saw the interconnectedness of humans and nature and knew that she needed to work with people to best protect it for future generations.

In 2016, she moved to Ísafjörður, Iceland on a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a master's degree in coastal and marine management at the University Centre of the Westfjords. She studied women involved in fisheries for her thesis, focusing on their unique knowledge and experiences.

A lifelong learner, Aly is currently finishing up her doctoral studies in Global Studies at the University of Iceland. She has represented Iceland throughout Europe in interdisciplinary research network called "Women on the Move", in Greenland through the Arctic-FROST program, in Norway as an Arctic Frontiers Emerging Leader, and as a council member for the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists.

She calls Reykjavik, Iceland home and lives with her partner, Hermann, and their cat, Yrja. In her free time, you can find her exploring outside or creating music and art.