Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?

I have wanted to study marine science since I was a young child. My dad took me fishing with him quite often when I was young so I was exposed to the ocean and marine life quite early. I was also exposed to fishing regulations at that age because I was tasked with translating fishing regulations for my dad since he couldn’t read or speak English. Despite the small job I had on those fishing trips, I still enjoyed them and all the fish my dad caught. Throughout my childhood, I held on to my love for the ocean and so decided to major in marine science at California State University Monterey Bay. While working towards my Bachelor’s, I was deeply immersed in the biological aspects of marine science. I conducted research analyzing climate change impacts on red abalone, tracking Dungeness crab recruitment on the central coast of California, and looking at changes in market squid populations over time. It was also in my time as an undergraduate that I revisited fishing regulations, but this time on the other end: as a scientific aid with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. As a sci aid, I was working with commercial fishers targeting coastal pelagic and highly migratory species. It was a great experience for me to be on the other end of fishing policy; instead of being affected by the end result of policy development, I was helping to gather data that would inform management decisions. I learned a lot about the process in which regulations were developed when I sat in on Pacific Fisheries Management Council meetings and conducted analyses of collected data. I wanted to build upon my experience so I could later work in fisheries management or with fishery resources so I applied to SMEA. In my time with the program so far, I’ve learned a lot about fishing policy but also the impacts regulations can have on different communities. I’ve improved upon my data management and research skills but I’ve also learned about social issues and how those can be intimately tied with how resources are managed.

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Describe your experience in applying to and selecting a graduate program.

I am a first-generation college student and the first in my family to pursue a Master’s degree so the entire application process from planning to submitting the application was difficult. I had to figure out a lot on my own and find resources from my undergraduate university to help me through the application process. After graduating with my Bachelor’s, I knew I wanted to continue on to a Master’s degree but I didn’t want to immediately jump back into school so I took a year off to work before applying for graduate school. At the start of my search for a graduate program, the programs I wanted to apply to and the professors I wanted to work with had extensive backgrounds in marine ecology. I emailed professors to introduce myself to them and to give them an idea of my past research experience and how my interests may align with their current projects. It was a very disheartening period because they all came back as either “I’m not accepting any students right now” or there was no response. I had initially applied as a Master’s student with the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences but one of my letter-of-recommendation writers suggested I also apply for SMEA. I was hesitant to at first because I wasn’t sure if the program was what I wanted to do. I was still thinking I wanted to do research in marine science, possibly fish ecology, and the human aspect of SMEA didn’t appeal too much to me. I was unsure if I had the time between working two jobs to build another application package. I applied to see what would happen and a few months later, I got an acceptance notice! Overall, it was a challenging experience but I’m glad I went through it so I can help my younger sibling and younger cousins in their own educational journeys if they so choose to purse a graduate degree.

Tell us about your Thesis work…

I am working with Dr. Ere Aceves-Bueno to design recommendations for territorial use rights in fisheries (TURFs) for small-scale artisanal fishing communities. We are focusing our study in the El Corredor region of Baja California Sur, Mexico. TURFs are an area-based management strategy rather than quota-based and grant exclusive fishing rights to a group or groups of people. One aspect of TURFs that I particularly like is that it gives the power of resource management back to the users. My work includes creating different TURF designs within the El Corredor region then assessing possible changes in profit and harvest for the fishers and changes in abundance for their target species. The end product will be recommendations for the fishers of the El Corredor communities to utilize however they see fit to manage their fisheries. I think it’s important for the resource users—in this case, the small-scale fishers—to be able to manage the fisheries their livelihoods depend on. This project incorporates their local ecological knowledge and gives them the information necessary to make informed management decisions.

What has been your favorite class at UW so far? Why?

My favorite class so far has been Dr. Sunny Jardine’s Intro to Spatial Data course. Previous to this class, I only used R as a data management and statistical analysis tool, but this class opened my eyes to how versatile R can be. I learned how to create so many different types of maps that I originally thought could only be done in ArcGIS, which is not a free program like R is. I learned a lot about mapping and what makes a good map, but the class also gave me a chance to maintain my R proficiency.

Photo provided.

What do you like most about SMEA?

My favorite part of my SMEA experience is how supportive my classmates and the faculty have been throughout the pandemic. My classmates have also been key in getting me through my program. Although my cohort started our first year completely online, we still managed to find time to meet each other and hang out outside of classes. Working towards a master’s degree during the pandemic has not been easy but the faculty have been very understanding when unexpected events come up or if I’ve needed to take a personal mental health day. They are also supportive in furthering our personal career goals and will often recommend classes outside of SMEA they think would be beneficial to us. The university has a large selection of classes across many different schools and colleges and the faculty highly encourage us to branch out of SMEA.

What’s it like to live in Seattle? What do you do in your spare time?

I moved up to Seattle the month before I started at SMEA and, partially because of the pandemic, I haven’t been able to really experience the city. From what I have been able to see though, I am quite liking it. I grew up in San Francisco then moved to Monterey for college, but I missed living in a big city with an established Asian community so it’s nice to be back in such a place. I’m trying my best to eat my way through Seattle and try all the boba places! When not occupied with schoolwork, I rock climb and play video games. I have recently picked up archery and am hoping to go on more hikes in the Seattle area. I also have two rabbits that create mischief every minute of the day but, despite that, I love to spoil them.