Conversations with friends and colleagues in academia reveal exposure to a similar message ingrained in our minds – “volunteer work will look great on your resume and for college applications.” While I can only speak for myself, it seems like many of us have heard this as early as during our high school years. As someone now working her way through a master’s program, I have continued to focus on volunteer opportunities alongside my career pursuits. What is different is that I now have a better understanding of the value of volunteering for professional fulfillment, networking, and “skills development.” Despite certain qualms I hold with the concept of unpaid work that I could dive into in a separate opinion piece, I hope this reflection provides you with a picture of how volunteer engagement has been a source of joy and enrichment in my life.

When I was accepted into the School for Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA), I knew I would be deviating in part from the western view of biology and environmental science in which I had been trained as an undergraduate and while working in animal husbandry. It was exciting! It felt like an opportunity to develop my marine and environmental policy knowledge in new ways. The structure of SMEA was also enticing in its allowance to explore and interact with other programs of a similar nature at the University of Washington (UW). I have had the opportunity to explore courses and make personal connections within programs such as the School of Aquatic and Fishery Science (SAFS) and the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. While this flexibility and diversity in curriculum has been great, it is especially fulfilling to be able to apply classroom concepts in a practical way through work with local community groups. Volunteer work, in particular, has filled in some real-world gaps in my graduate experience and has enhanced the SMEA curriculum for me in a very real-world sense.

Seattle Aquarium: Interpretation

Prior to arriving in Seattle, I was involved with the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. as a keeper aide where I provided feeding and habitat maintenance support for staff caring for endangered and at-risk bird species. The loggerhead shrikes, brown kiwis, guam kingfishers, and whooping cranes were some of my favorite birds to care for. I enjoyed the work so much that one of the first things I wanted after I had moved to Seattle was to find something similar. I searched broadly at first, considering the Woodland Park Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium mainly because of their notability as environmental institutions and their capacity to take on volunteers. The interview process for the aquarium was straightforward and I joined their volunteer network first as an adult interpreter in May of 2022. Interacting with guests every Saturday around the tide pools has been both a fun experience and valuable in helping me to better communicate marine concepts to a broad, diverse audience. Lessons from SMEA classes like Marine Law have allowed me to engage in deeper discussions about topics like species protections and recovery efforts. Similarly, I felt more equipped to discuss the value of preserving marine environments in terms of ecosystem services because of one of SMEA’s special topics classes.

Seattle Aquarium: Aquarist Aide

Although I enjoyed working as an interpreter, I recently shifted to a new position as support for the Fish and Invertebrate Temperate team. They primarily care for the Puget Sound fish species found in the tide pools, in the big underwater dome, or in the waterways by the river otters. Here I find myself away from the crowds and supporting dietary and habitat needs for aquarium animals. Unlike the interpreter position, the connections I make with classroom concepts are confined to my own thoughts as I work through the animal care tasks. I gave some thought recently to concepts introduced through group projects in SMEA’s Human Dimensions class. I was speaking with my supervisor, one of the senior aquarists, about the aquarium’s salmon exhibit (in the hall between the birds and the Puget Sound fish exhibit if you visit). As we reviewed daily maintenance for the two salmon fry and smolt habitats, we began to discuss future visions for the aquarium, in light of its upcoming expansion. She mentioned that these current habitats reflected more of a hatcheries focus for salmon care, while the aquarium is now trying to place more emphasis on holistic approaches. I reflected at this moment on what I’d learned about hatcheries from the class and felt far more equipped to participate in this conversation and provide critical and thoughtful commentary.

Pacific Mammal Research: Group Observer

I found Pacific Mammal Research (PacMAM) because I am fascinated with marine mammals and other megafauna. The non-profit organization helps track harbor porpoise populations in Washington’s inland waters, primarily focusing on the northern stretches of the Salish Sea. During my volunteer shifts, I go out with groups and sit on the cliffsides at Fidalgo Head, spending hours watching for marine mammals to break the water’s surface.

While sitting and watching, I often  reflect on lessons about marine mammal protections, successes and failures, and the effects of these protections on communities. I had given a lot of consideration to the history of harbor porpoise presence in Washington’s waters, their once plentiful numbers, their sharp population decline, and their current perhaps record high numbers. I have thought briefly about concepts from SMEA’s microeconomics course and the SAFS Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management course when considering decisions that lead to the use of fishing gear that may pose a threat to species like the harbor porpoise. I have also made comparisons with the research I have done on the rapid decline of the vaquita, a critically endangered porpoise endemic to the northern reaches of Baja California, Mexico.

Pacific Mammal Research: Citizen Scientist

Recently, I have shifted roles within the organization from a group observer to a citizen scientist. As a citizen scientist, I have the freedom to conduct and record my own observations independently rather than being constrained by the scheduled observation days and times which don’t always fit with my classes and other commitments. There is value in working with a team when observing because it increases the likelihood of a sighting especially in a more expansive body of water. This can be particularly important if the observations are being documented and collected to be published in some way. It is also wonderful to simply share an experience like porpoise or other megafauna sightings with others that feel similarly about the species. I do, however, think that the citizen scientist function fits my demeanor quite well. I tend towards a more reserved nature and in the past have always found great solace in quiet moments with nature. In the midst of the constant hustle that is being a full-time student, I appreciate these moments to disconnect while supporting a great cause.

COASST: Seabird Surveyor Citizen Scientist

I found the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) by accident, which is funny considering that the project is based right on the UW campus in the Fishery Science Building. I was originally seeking opportunities to get involved with one of the National Marine Sanctuaries. I had a chance to visit a couple of them on the east coast and some recent summer trips sold me on Washington’s outer coasts. The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary page led me to a slew of training opportunities, including one to join COASST as a citizen scientist.

I have always welcomed opportunities to work with marine mammals but seabirds also have a special place in my heart. The winter after I graduated from college, I traveled to South Africa to visit family and intern as a seabird rehabilitator. That opportunity was incredible and helped to foster an immense appreciation for different marine avian species. Working with intensive care patients also created a unique bond for me with the birds due to their needs for special management and attention. When I found the COASST citizen scientist seabird training, it felt like a great way to maintain that connection. My role within the project is to collect data on beached seabirds, particularly at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. I work with a partner to survey the beach for dead seabirds and record information about the beach at the time of observation to capture the best picture possible of conditions under which seabird beaching is more likely.

I think a lot about my Ecosystem Services class when volunteering with COASST. I view the beach access, fishing, and other forms of recreation as services made possible by preservation of the natural space. One aspect of the COASST survey is recording human, animal, and car traffic through the beach area, which may correlate with the value of the area to the community. I have also considered content from SMEA’s Marine Science course while contemplating food webs affected by major seabird mortality events. While looking for and evaluating dead seabirds does present a fair departure from the rehabilitation work that first sparked my interest in these animals, I can visualize how mortality studies and animal rehabilitation work can connect to create a more comprehensive picture of species conservation needs.

Other Noteworthy Opportunities

I believe the enrichment goes both ways with lectures strengthening the knowledge I can bring to my volunteer work and the work providing a practical application of class material. I learn best when I have one foot in the classroom and one foot in “the field” where I can find connections and see the ways they blend together. I feel fulfilled by the opportunities I have at this time and intend to continue volunteering through the rest of my time with SMEA. Below are some other volunteer experiences that may be of interest to others.

The Society for Marine Mammology Wikipedia is usually looking for curators to support their page through editing, peer reviewing, and fact-checking. This is a low-commitment opportunity to work on literature review skills and to help disperse current and accurate scientific material to the general public.

Whale Scout can pair you with a naturalist to monitor whales traveling through Puget Sound, provide training to become a naturalist, or you can join them for larger events like habitat maintenance projects.

There are also opportunities much closer to UW like with the botanic gardens, the UW Farm, the campus food pantry, the population health department, or the Associated Students program to name a few.

My knowledge of volunteer opportunities around Washington state or even the Seattle area is not comprehensive. It is likely that many students already hold positions with organizations that resonate with them. It would be great to create a volunteer directory in a similar way to how second-year SMEA students have provided testimony about electives and teaching assistantships they have taken. I would also be happy to engage in informal conversations about volunteer experiences at any time. Regardless, I hope that what I share in this piece might encourage you to also find opportunities outside of SMEA that may enhance your life, in an academic sense, a personal sense, or both.