Alexandra Skrivanek
Lexa Skrivanek is a Program Scientist at Schmidt Sciences. In this role, she works across multiple scientific programs, with a particular focus on ocean and climate initiatives.
Lexa oversees the Schmidt Sciences Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute (OBVI), which is partnering with Schmidt Ocean Institute to advance understanding of ocean carbon cycling and ecosystem resilience across scales — from animal guts to global oceans — through the development of integrated observations, models, and platforms.
Lexa is an earth scientist with expertise in paleoceanography and paleoclimate. Recently, she served as an Associate Program Officer on the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where she directed studies evaluating impacts of wind turbines on marine vessel radar, as well as data and management strategies for recreational fisheries.
She also served as interim director of the standing Committee on Offshore Science and Assessment and supported studies evaluating Coast Guard authorities and NSF’s Paleo Perspectives on Climate Change program.
As an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Lexa’s research focused on synthesizing evidence preserved in ancient Caribbean reefs to better understand the response of sea level and ice sheets to past warm climates, with the aim of improving projections of future climate change. She also developed outreach activities integrating technology into evidence-based ocean science education.
Lexa transitioned from research to policy in 2020 through the NOAA Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program, where she served as a policy analyst in the Office of the Deputy NOAA Administrator. There, she supported initiatives related to coral reef health, international marine protected areas, and the Blue Economy.
Lexa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Earth & Environmental Sciences with minors in Museum Studies and Oceanography from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Florida.