Julie Howar

Senior Marine Ecologist, GIS Specialist

My role at Point Blue changes with the seasons.  During spring and summer I am a seabird biologist, monitoring coastal breeding seabirds and supervising others doing similar work in Central and Southern California.  Come fall and winter, I change hats to become a data manager and GIS specialist, supporting many projects within the California Current group.  I am also part of Point Blue’s oil spill response team, and have worked on several spills in California.

I received my bachelor’s degrees in Aquatic Biology and Environmental Studies from UC Santa Barbara, and my master’s in Applied Geography with a minor in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University.  After a few temporary positions working with animals such as mantis shrimp, trout, and giant garter snakes, I had an opportunity to work with Scripps’ Murrelets and Rhinoceros Auklets, and I haven’t looked back!

Prior to coming to Point Blue, I worked on Marbled Murrelet habitat use and radio telemetry projects, created a GIS-based habitat suitability model for Aplomado Falcons, and volunteered for the California Raptor Center, Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, and Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.

My work is based out of Point Blue’s Vandenberg field station, but you can find me on the cliff tops with a spotting scope and binoculars if you can’t reach me at the office.

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