Areas of Expertise

• Marine debris
• Plastics material science
• Policy analysis
• Toxic chemicals and analytical chemistry
• Plastic waste management and circular economy
• Plastic and bioplastic degradation

Anja is the Associate Director of U.S. Plastics Policy at Ocean Conservancy, where she works to advance policy solutions at the state and federal level to reduce single-use plastics, hold plastic producers accountable and support the transition to a circular economy.

An engineer and material science expert, Anja earned a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science at Stanford University. She was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for her doctoral research examining plastic waste management challenges and developing novel methods to break down common plastics.

Most recently Anja was part of the team of environmental advocates that helped draft and pass the strongest plastics legislation in the country, SB 54 in California. She has also been instrumental in drafting of federal policies aimed at addressing the plastics pollution crisis such as the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, the Protecting Communities From Plastic Act, and the recently passed appropriations language that pushed back on chemical recycling. In addition to being an invited speaker at national and international conferences, Anja has been an invited lecturer teaching about plastic pollution and policy solutions at universities including Stanford, Oregon State University, Wellesley, and Bennington College.

Prior to joining Ocean Conservancy, Anja was the AGU/AAAS Congressional Science Fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), where she was the lead policy advisor on issues including plastics, ocean and water pollution, and toxic pollutants.

Anja grew up on the coast in Seattle, Washington, where she fell in love with the ocean. Committed to sharing this love, she started volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium, where she first learned of the challenges facing the ocean and developed a passion for being part of the solution.

Education

• Ph.D., Environmental Engineering and Science, Stanford University, 2020
• M.S., Environmental Engineering and Science, Stanford University, 2017
• B.S., Environmental Systems Engineering—Coastal Concentration, Stanford University, 2016

Favorite Thing About the Ocean

The never ending ability to explore something new! From turning over a rock in a tide pool to SCUBA diving in a new part of the world, there is so much to see and learn from our ocean. And giant pacific octopuses—they’re so cool!

Select Scientific Publications

• Brandon, A.M., et al. Enhanced Bioavailability and Microbial Biodegradation of Polystyrene in an Enrichment Derived from the Gut Microbiome of Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm Larvae). Environmental Science & Technology (2021).
• Brandon, A.M. and C.S. Criddle. Can biotechnology turn the tide on plastics? Current Opinion of Biotechnology (2019).
• Brandon, A.M., et al. Fate of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), a common flame retardant, in polystyrene-degrading mealworms. Environmental Science & Technology (2019).
• Brandon, A.M., et al. Biodegradation of Polyethylene and Plastic Mixtures in Mealworms (Larvae of Tenebrio molitor) and Effects on the Gut Microbiome. Environmental Science & Technology (2018).

Select Media Mentions

• California can lead America out of the ocean plastic pollution crisis. The Sacramento Bee. (June 2022).
• California Requires Plastic Makers to Foot the Bill for Recycling. The New York Times. (July 2022).
• California’s Sweeping New Plastics Law Could be a Game Changer. National Geographic. (July 2022).
• Congress Urges EPA to Maintain Clean-Air Regulations on Chemical Recycling of Plastics. Inside Climate News. (Jan. 2023)
• Single-use plastic waste is getting phased out in California under a sweeping new law. CNN. (July 2022)
• Could unlocking the mystery of the mealworm’s gut help solve our plastic crisis? CNN. (Sept. 2020)