Picture a scallop: its marshmallowy-white flesh, buttery taste, delightful lack of bones – all reasons why scallops are one of the most popular seafood items in the world. Now picture a scallop that’s about twice the size of a regular one and known by sport divers to have outstanding, mouthwatering flavor.

California’s Central Valley — 20,000 square miles of lowland ringed by mountains — produces a quarter of the nation’s food. But this abundance comes with environmental consequences: there are so many chemicals sprayed across the valley’s croplands that the region’s waters are often tainted. 

That’s a broad statement, and for now, it has to be. The pesticide problem is so complex that it’s hard to even know the extent of the damage.

Growing up in Key Biscayne, a barrier-island town east of Miami, Florida, Maya Becker was aware of the dynamic qualities of marine environments from a young age.

“I always recognized the ocean as this obviously very profound, very important part of our planet, but also as a threat to the community that I grew up in,” Becker says.

This perspective instilled Becker with a deep interest in marine policy, and a passion for understanding how coastal communities could become more resilient to the challenges that come with living near the ocean.