She is the principal investigator for the human dimensions of large marine protected areas project, and is leading associated case studies of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument and Palau’s National Marine Sanctuary. Over the last ten years Dr. Gruby has engaged multidisciplinary perspectives across the social sciences to understand and inform marine conservation and governance in diverse settings. Her recent work has focused in particular on the political and institutional dimensions of marine protected areas, small-scale fisheries, and marine ecosystem-based management in Oceania, and associated environmental governance processes at the global level (e.g., Convention on Biological Diversity).