Meet the Scientist Behind Inspector Planet

Everything is connected—from the air we breathe to the water we drink. Dr. Tracy Fanara, known globally as Inspector Planet, is an environmental engineer and science communicator who transforms data into action to protect people and ecosystems.

As Coastal Modeling Portfolio Manager at NOAA’s National Ocean Service, Dr. Fanara leads research that improves flood forecasting and coastal resilience across the United States. Her work helps communities anticipate extreme weather, reduce risk, and build climate-ready infrastructure.

Before joining NOAA, Tracy directed the Environmental Health Program at Mote Marine Laboratory, where she created citizen-science platforms with millions of users tracking harmful algal blooms and coastal conditions worldwide. Her interdisciplinary background spans engineering design, field research, and environmental policy—uniting science, technology, and communication to drive measurable change.

Beyond the lab, Dr. Fanara is a familiar face in media, appearing on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and MythBusters, National Geographic, The Weather Channel, FOX, and ABC. Through these collaborations, she makes complex science accessible and inspires public engagement in environmental protection.

Her company, Inspector Planet, LLC, advances that same mission—connecting education, partnerships, and storytelling to turn lessons of resilience, resourcefulness, and relentlessness into collective action. From classrooms to coastlines, Tracy Fanara is building a world where science serves people—and where protecting water means protecting life itself.