Dr. Shakila Merchant is passionate about education, training, and research projects. She has extensive knowledge and experience in project management, planning, and assessment. Her research areas of interest are Environment Impact and Ecosystem Health Assessment. Dr. Merchant is a strong supporter of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education for high schoolers. She is the director of the CUNY CREST High School Initiative in Remote Sensing of the Earth Systems Engineering & Sciences (HIRES) program. For the last 10 years, HIRES has successfully provided advanced STEM research training to New York City (NYC) high school students from underrepresented groups. Since 2002, Dr. Merchant has served as a program and career advisor and mentor for more than seven hundred (700) post-secondary students from underrepresented groups.

Dr. Merchant worked as an Environmental Scientist at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (SIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India for more than 10 vears before moving to the United States. She joined National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Science Center at the City College of New York, NY in 2002. In her tenure at NOAA CSC, Dr. Merchant has worn multiple hats. She has played a key role in developing Center best practices such as the Individualized Students Development Plan (ISDP) and Professional Advancement and Career Engagement (PACE). She has served on the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Education Symposium Committee in 2020-2021 and presented at several national conferences as well as invited to lead and/or serve on several panels including women leaders in STEM fields, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and STEM Education and Workforce Development Panels.