Melissa Shafer

Melissa (Mel) Shafer is a Water Research Scientist for the West Virginia Water Research Institute. Mel obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. After graduation she began working in vaccine manufacturing and worked up to vaccine research and development. After 7 years in the industry, she decided to pursue her passion for river and water conservation by completing a Master of Science degree in Forestry with a focus in Forest Hydrology at West Virginia University. During this time, she started as a student worker for WVWRI. She is excited to continue working at WVWRI as a Water Research Scientist. Previously, she worked as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Mountain Hydrology Lab at WVU and a Field Assistant for the Natural Resource Analysis Center working on stream restoration. She has also worked for the Mountain Watershed Association as a Watershed Research Assistant. Mel is an avid whitewater canoeist which made her pursue a move to the Mountain State to explore all the wild and wonderful whitewater rivers West Virginia has to offer. This passion for whitewater changed her professional career goals to do everything to protect the rivers of West Virginia.

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