Anna George, vice president of conservation science and education at the Tennessee Aquarium, discovered her love for water at an early age, during a 7th grade field trip to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Alabama. During her undergraduate and graduate coursework in biology, she worked in freshwater and marine systems to study the conservation, ecology and evolution of fish.
Since joining Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium in 2006, George has overseen research and education initiatives in biodiversity studies, species reintroduction, and habitat restoration to help conserve the animals that live in the rivers and streams of the southeastern US. She leads the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, which works to restore freshwater ecosystems and promote the need for environmental health in the region. The aquarium’s mission is to connect people with nature and empower them to make informed decisions about water and wildlife.
George has taught at Franklin & Marshall College, Mountain Lake Biological Station, the University of the South, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Additionally, she has served on the advisory council for Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and the board of directors for Crabtree Farms. One person who nominated George said she is “the most knowledgeable person regarding freshwater trout and sturgeon likely in the world”.
“From researching the animals, their needs and optimal conditions to propagating animals so they may be released in exactly the right environment to thrive, her work is phenomenal. Her optimism about providing a better environment for both fish and people is inspiring,” they added.