Malin's areas of interest include volunteers, land and water stewardship, citizen science, and other efforts that create meaningful connections between communities and the natural world -  through partnerships, volunteering, technology, and more. In 2012, Malin launched Nature Groupie, an initiative that employs collaboration and technology to empower generations of outdoor enthusiasts to volunteer for nature in New Hampshire and beyond.

In recent years, Malin has chaired the UNH Extension's Volunteer Management Team, overseeing collaborative work among UNH Extension's thirteen volunteer programs and has also led a team of staff working in the emerging field of citizen science, helping to increase the connection between local volunteers, scientific research, and community decision-making in New Hampshire.

Her current research interests are in the role of citizen science in community decision-making, in science education in schools, and in the Cooperative Extension system. Malin received her undergraduate degree from Yale University and earned a Masters of Science in Forest Resources from the University of Washington College of Forest Resources.