
Clint W Robins
- Ph.D., School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
- River Falls, WI
- Williams College
- Biology, concentration in Environmental Studies
- a National Geographic explorer
- wildlife ecology, predator-prey interactions
- western foothills of the Cascade Mountains (King County and Snohomish County)
- to continue to work with large predators around the world
- I learned about wildlife poaching and wildlife conservation at an early age through the plight of the Rwandan mountain gorilla. I've been interested in wildlife conservation since.
- My first cougar capture.
- Aaron Wirsing
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- Ph.D., School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
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Erika S. Rubenson
- Ph.D., School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Northwestern University
- Environmental Science
- a marine biologist
- freshwater ecology, species invasions, species distribution modeling
- Columbia River Basin, with most of my field work in the John Day River, Oregon
- Freshwater ecology management positions
- We all depend on our environment to provide us with the resources that let us live. As the human population explodes, we need to broaden our understanding of our relationship and impact on our planet, continuously innovating to help find a new balance.
- Winning an award for one of the papers I published.
- Julian D. Olden
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- Ph.D., School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
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Ethan Campbell
- Ph.D., Oceanography
- Park Ridge, IL
- Princeton University
- Geosciences
- an airline pilot
- the polar oceans’ role in global climate
- Antarctica, using data from Argo floats and satellites
- research scientist or professor
- I study the environment to unravel its mysteries and shed light on how humans impact natural processes in even the most remote corners of the Earth.
- Learning to cook for myself!
- Stephen Riser, Curtis Deutsch
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- Ph.D., Oceanography
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Isaiah Bolden
- Ph.D., School of Oceanography
- Nashville, TN
- Bowdoin College
- Earth and Oceanographic Science
- http://beta.environment.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2017-18-Graduate-Student-Profile_Bolden.jpg
- Coral reefs, paleoceanography, ocean acidification, climate science and outreach, ocean + atmosphere interactions, biogeochemical cycling
- Coral reefs, paleoceanography, ocean acidification, climate science and outreach, ocean + atmosphere interactions, biogeochemical cycling
- Professor at small liberal arts college or in an interdisciplinary environmental science department at a research university
- It’s increasingly clear that humans have the capacity to interfere with the Earth’s climate system, often with detrimental consequences to ecosystems around the world. However, a large challenge in communicating this capacity to the general public remains grounding the changes we see today in the larger context of historical and natural variability of the climate system. I study the environment, specifically coral reefs, because these ecosystems harbor “clues” about how marine climates have varied in the past and how current/future anthropogenic inputs may impact the world’s most diverse habitats for marine organisms. Addressing the biogeochemical complexities of reef ecosystems has broader implications for marine biodiversity as a whole and provides an excellent foundation for communicating the value of climate research to a variety of audiences.
- Research-wise, my most meaningful moment was meeting former President Barack Obama with my lab group while doing field work in French Polynesia in March 2017…and actually learning that he’s fairly in touch with some of the high-profile ocean acidification papers in our field! Talk about surreal. Outreach-wise, my most meaningful experience has been working with my iGERT cohort to design, contribute to, and implement a climate science knowledge network on Micronesia’s capital island, Pohnpei.
- Alex Gagnon
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- Ph.D., School of Oceanography
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Jessica Hernández
- Ph.D., School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
- South Los Angeles, CA
- University of California, Berkeley
- Marine Science (concentration: biomechanics and fisheries) and Italian Studies
- a teacher
- I’m interested in environmental justice in relation to water justice and decolonization among coastal indigenous communities, as well as how climate science and change impacts aquatic ecosystems that indigenous peoples depend on.
- United States, Canada and Mexico. Depending on further funding, I will expand my research to New Zealand.
- Professor and Mentor to students of color.
- My connection to the ocean and fisheries goes back many generations; on my mother’s side we are indigenous Yucateco Maya and Zapotec and on my father’s side we are indigenous Ch’orti’. I belong to the k'aa'naab ak (turtle) clan and most of my relatives—including my parents—are fishermen. I always carried these cultural roots deep in my heart and consequently, when it came to studies, I decided to study the environment. Studying the environment allowed me to expand my western knowledge of the ocean, forests, etc. with courses, internships and research. It also allowed me to comprehend the importance of integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge to promote a healthier environment.
- As an indigenous scholar, I strive to make every moment in graduate school meaningful for myself and for other underrepresented students. We continue to be underrepresented in the environmental sciences. As a result, the most meaningful moment in graduate school for me was completing my dual masters (Masters of Marine Affairs and Masters of Science in Environmental and Forest Sciences) in two years. Dual masters are commonly completed in three years, however, I was determined to do so in two years and continue onto my Ph.D. work at the College of Environment. The best and most emotional piece of this accomplishment was being able to celebrate this with my parents during the commencement ceremonies. For indigenous peoples of Latin America, school and education are a privilege. My mother was able to attend school up to the sixth grade and my father was never given the opportunity to attend school. When I complete and obtain my Ph.D., I will become the first in my tribe and family to do so and I look forward to accomplishing this and make my family, community, and tribe proud.
- Phil Levin
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- Ph.D., School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
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Laurel Peelle
- Wildlife Science, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS)
- Cupertino, CA
- University of California, San Diego
- Biogeography with a minor in Biological Anthropology
- a marine biologist
- predator-prey ecology
- Northeast Cascades of Washington state
- Wildlife Research Scientist
- Nature is a beautifully messy web of complex interactions. We'll never run out of things we can learn about it! But after realizing that human influence is inextricably tied to the environment, I honed my focus toward questions that are important for conservation and management.
- When presenting on my mid-stream research in front of a group of experts in my field, I was sick with anxiety… until, funnily enough, I was asked the hard questions at the end. I found I could easily explain why I chose my unique methods; this project was ultimately my own. I'll never have all the answers, but in that moment, I went from feeling like only a student to realizing I had truly become a researcher, as well.
- Aaron Wirsing
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- Wildlife Science, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS)
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Natalie Lowell
- Ph.D., Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
- Encinitas, CA
- University of California, Berkeley
- Molecular Environmental Biology
- a Pokémon master
- population genetics, shellfish aquaculture, natural resource management and policy and science in policy
- my research takes place on campus, but my collection sites range from Alaska to California
- Natural Resources Policy Advisor
- I like food, and food comes from the environment. Studying fisheries science is one way I can work towards ensuring there's a sustainable source of delicious food for future generations.
- After a year of studying shellfish population genetics, I was looking for a way to bridge my dissertation work from strictly natural science to policy and management. I knew it would be hard because I was new to the shellfish community and I hadn't built many connections with decision-makers yet. Then, one day I found myself at a stakeholder meeting where folks in the room called for a risk assessment to help inform future policy relating to the genetics of native shellfish, and someone literally said, "If only we knew a graduate student who could do this." I raised my hand and ended up securing funding to do this work. Not only am I excited about this work from a research perspective, but I am deeply motivated knowing that I am producing information that is needed by the shellfish growing community.
- Lorenz Hauser
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- Ph.D., Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
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Yaamini Venkataraman
- M.S. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
- Cupertino, CA
- University of California, San Diego
- General Biology and Environmental Systems: Environmental Policy
- a food critic
- climate change and its multiple impacts on shellfish
- Puget Sound, WA
- head of a university department (and a freelance storyteller for National Geographic on the side)
- When the environment is healthy, we all thrive. I hope that my work not only conserves our natural resources, but also the people that depend on them.
- The most exciting thing I've done at SAFS is receive the Hall Conservation Genetics Research Award. It affirmed my work, reminding me that the research I do is important and valued outside of academia. More importantly, it proved that I not only belonged in graduate school, but that I was also welcomed here.
- Dr. Steven Roberts
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- M.S. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
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