Dr. Shon Schooler is the Research Coordinator of the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (SSNERR). His task is to facilitate research that provides high quality information for improving the management of aquatic resources. This includes conducting research, assisting researchers, and developing research priorities through consultation with local and regional natural resource managers. The priority research themes for the SSNERR currently include marsh restoration, water quality, invasive species, and climate change. Dr. Schooler also mentors graduate and undergraduate students conducting research projects, provides technical advice on numerous local, regional, and national committees, and integrates the Research Program with the SSNERR’s Education, Stewardship, and Coastal Training Programs. He grew up in Marathon City, WI, received his B.S. at U.W. Madison and his M.S. and Ph.D. at Oregon State University. He then spent 8 years at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Brisbane, Australia and 7 years at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve in Superior, WI. Dr. Schooler has extensive experience in aquatic and estuarine ecology and has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers on the topic.

Kristoff is a veteran technologist, developer, and community builder with over 20 years of professional experience in IT. He balances a career focused on digital privacy and open-source systems with a hands-on passion for both high-tech and low-tech self-reliance. Whether he is tinkering with microcontrollers or designing automated systems, his projects seamlessly bridge technical engineering with ecological resilience.

Driven by a commitment to privacy-first, community-driven digital spaces, Kristoff built coospulse.com—a hyper-local, privacy first platform designed to keep the Coos Bay community cleanly connected to local events and resources without algorithmic noise. At OCATEC, Kristoff channels his extensive technical background and practical ingenuity into supporting the collective's physical and digital infrastructure, helping to cultivate a collaborative environment where cutting-edge tech and practical trade skills meet.