Virginia Pan Email & Phone Number

Paris, Île-De-France, France

Blue Ocean is a €170m impact VC fund investing in innovative startups that regenerate ocean health, and contribute to SDG 14. We invest in solutions to overexploitation, pollution, and marine solutions to climate change. As an associate, I provide due diligence research on prospective deals to ensure both systematic impact and competitive market returns. I am constantly curious to keep up to date with the latest research and market developments. I also support our efforts within the larger ocean investing ecosystem, through my involvement with the 1000 Ocean Startups Coalition.

San Francisco Bay Area

Synthesized the state of ocean technologies to inform Fresh Peaks Capital on where collection and analysis of ocean data is both high impact and venture backable. Identified main uses of ocean data by blue economy sectors, and highlighted common business models through market mapping exercise. Researched seaweed sector as part of due diligence on prospective warehousing deal.

Goleta, California, United States

Sea Forward Ocean Health Fund is a multi-donor advised fund that invests in companies, venture funds, and nonprofits that focus on ocean health and sustainability. While with Sea Forward, I helped map the ocean start-up landscape to identify potential collaborators and investment opportunities for the Sea Forward Ocean Health Fund. Additionally, I am applied the 1,000 Ocean Startups Key Performance Indicator framework to measure environmental and social impact of Sea Forward’s portfolio.

Goleta, California, United States

This collaborative project between the Bren School and ZNE Capital, the world's first zero net energy multifamily real estate company, identified the best locations across the United States to expand ZNE operations into. ZNE’s business model involves acquiring existing multifamily housing complexes, installing solar panels, and renting units at affordable rates. Our team aggregated, cleaned, and weighted data on real estate market trends, landlord policy, onsite solar financials, energy production, and climate impacts to score and rank metropolitan statistical areas. As project manager, I made initial connections with the client, wrote the project proposal, created meeting agendas, delegated tasks, and ran meetings. I also helped with data acquisition and analysis in R.

Goleta, California, United States

I interned with Benioff Ocean Solution Lab’s Whale Safe program, which uses state-of-the-art technology to collect, analyze, and disseminate near real time whale and vessel data in the Santa Barbara Channel and San Francisco Bay Area with the goal of preventing whale-vessel collisions. I used R to analyze multiple data streams and compile monthly reports on whale presence and shipping speeds. This data is used to engage with commercial shipping companies and discuss how they can slow down to reduce fatal whale strikes.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Interned with the Science Grants team within the Science & Innovation department at NGS. Developed a 1-year timeline to support NGS-Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) partnership recruitment from underrepresented, historically marginalized, and/or local groups for ship-based research opportunity aboard the SOI’s RV Falkor (too). Generated a library of 100+ organizations, 100+ individuals, and 20 conferences in ocean science, technology, and conservation with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Emerson Collective, National Geographic Society, Smithsonian Institution, and George Washington University are working together to support the next generation of leaders who are committed to helping communities, are passionate about social justice, and are inspired to drive change in the world.

Goleta, California, United States

Researched financing options for Collective Energy Company LLC, an early stage start-up aimed at improving health equity by bringing rooftop solar and storage to federally qualified health centers. Identified California Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) solar and storage incentives to prioritize Collective Energy's development strategy. Created ranked list of promising early adopting health centers based on survey responses, location, and avaliable CCA incentives.Learn more at: https://collectiveenergyco.com/

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Fall 2020 Semester: Crafted image processing algorithms for Icefin robot video footage collected under Antarctic glaciers using OpenCV in Python to improve mapping and vehicle awareness for real time navigation in the Planetary Habitability and Technology Lab headed by Dr. Britney Schmidt. Spring 2021 Semester: Investigated coral 3D model reconstruction using structure from motion (SfM) on images extracted from GoPro video. Explored coral surface area and volume metrics from SfM to augment weight data collected for coral experiments in Moorea Coral Reef LTER by Dr. Mark Hay's lab.

Woods Hole, Ma

Designed a system for real time dense beach surveying using Stereolab’s ZED camera, Nvidia Jetson TX2, and Javad Triumph 2 PPK GPS while working with Dr. Peter Traykovski in the Coastal Ocean Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (COFDL). Collected preliminary point cloud, visual odometry, and GPS data from field tests.

San Diego County, California, United States

Helped engineer and test a low-cost device to optically measure velocity of ocean currents in the Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging. Coded image processing programs to detect ambient particles in the water using OpenCV in Python. Programmed a Raspberry Pi to periodically take photos, process them, and display calculated velocity and system statistics in real time, then enter sleep mode to conserve power.

Phang Nga, Phangnga, Thailand

A service learning experience centered on marine conservation, run by a partnership between Duke University and Global Visions International. While volunteering, I organized creation of English website and signage for the local aquarium to promote tourist education and donations. Additionally, I designed, built, and researched sea turtle enrichment devices to promote natural sea turtle behavior. We also regularly visited two sea turtle conservancies to treat turtles with fungicide, measure turtle growth, and clean turtle enclosure tanks.

Kinmen County, Taiwan

Served as a English teacher in the Assisting Individual with Disadvantages (A.I.D) Volunteer program. Taught English to 4th-6th graders in Kinmen Island, Taiwan.

Wallops Island, Va

Taught environmental education about barrier island ecosystems to Road Scholar (multi-generational, in residence) program participants through hands on lessons. Conducted a research project investigating the effect of beach location on the number of Horseshoe Crab molts and carcasses around Virginia barrier islands.

Master Of Environmental Science And Management (Mesm), 3.99

Activities and Societies: UCSB Associated Students Coastal Fund Graduate Board Member Master's Group Project Committee for the MESM Class.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Electrical And Computer Engineering, 3.845

Activities and Societies: Rachel Carson Scholar Bass Connections Duke Conservation Tech: Treasurer, Project Lead Sustainable Oceans.

4.411

Activities and Societies: National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Envirothon Competition Environmental.