Andrews has a faculty appointment as the coastal ecology specialist and is located at the Brunswick office where she oversees the Coastal Ecology Lab. She officially joined Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in 2020 but has been working on the Georgia coast since 2011. Her research and conservation efforts involve conducting field research, primarily on reptiles and habitats altered by development, pollution and climate change. She facilitates science-based conflict resolution with industry and development by integrating results and recommendations into infrastructure designs, development plans and informing the community of environmental health impacts.

Andrews grew up in rural South Carolina and watched development rapidly displace natural landscapes. She dedicated her career to finding better solutions that accommodate both environmental and economic health. She acquired three degrees from UGA: a bachelor’s degree in ecology, a master’s degree in conservation ecology and sustainable development and a Ph.D. in ecology. Her graduate work was conducted at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Andrews also has engaged in international marine work for over 20 years.