Lydia Thomas

Experience

• 

  North Carolina Forestry Association

  Jun 2019 - Aug 2019

  Summer Intern

  Organized and inputted numerical data into the NCFA’s Hunting Lease Liability Insurance Program.

• 

  Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST)

  Jan 2020 - May 2020

  Collected animal behavior data and inputted into software, ZooMonitor. Developed multiple ethograms for a variety of species. Analyzed behavior data to extract the needed information to quantify animal behavior. Presented the research and findings to CMAST faculty, undergraduate students, and graduate students. Participated in several necropsies of bottlenose dolphins and a Risso’s dolphin. Assisted in another student’s oyster reef mapping project using GIS mapping. Assessed and monitored over 150 cold stunned sea turtles.

  • Research Technician

    Jan 2020 - May 2020

  • Research Technician

    Jan 2020 - May 2020
• 

  North Carolina State University

  Aug 2020 - May 2021

  Research Assistant

  Sort marsh habitat samples and identify blue crabs within the sample. Photograph and measure collected crabs using ImageJ software. Analyze juvenile abundance in habitat samples. Present findings to NC State faculty and students.

• 

  SeaAhead

  Jun 2021 - Apr 2022

  Investment Intern

  Support SeaAhead’s mid-Atlantic bluetech cluster economic development efforts with afocus on North Carolina. Tasks include research, grant writing, supporting thedevelopment of a regional bluetech startup ecosystem narrative and coordinatingstakeholder engagement. Additionally, supporting the Maritime Vertical strategy which aimsto focus the SeaAhead platform on the intersection of shipping, ports and offshore wind.

• 

  First Flight Venture Center

  Apr 2022 - Nov 2023

  Innovation Programs Manager

  - Plan and execute on a variety of programs to meet start-ups where they are to take them from ideation to growth and commercialization- Conceptualized and facilitated a global, health security accelerator- Conducted and led an intensive 2-day SBIR/STTR bootcamp

• 

  UNCW CIE

  Dec 2023 - now

  Program Manager