Noelle Helder

Noelle Helder is the Science Coordinator for the Ocean Exploration Trust and is based in Fairbanks, Alaska. She is a marine ecologist and geospatial scientist interested in the intersections of research, technology, and conservation. She has worked on projects from the tropics to the poles, exploring ways geospatial data can inform coastal management and decision-making.  

Noelle has an M.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Alberta, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of South Florida. Before joining OET, Noelle worked at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on the Alaska Coastal Mapping Project. In this role, she supported the development of a Topobathymetric Lidar Center of Excellence in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Her projects included developing automated shoreline mapping techniques using machine learning and leading Arctic ocean mapping cruises. She got her first taste of deep-sea exploration as an Explorer-in-Training with NOAA Ocean Exploration, where she developed ROV dive plans along the Blake Plateau.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Noelle finds joy in human-powered adventures both on and off the water, exploring the diverse landscapes of her home in Alaska. She recently returned from rowing across the Atlantic Ocean with three other women to raise funds for marine conservation and education and placed 1st in the women’s class of the race.