What is this column?

We are experimenting with ways to engage with our alumni and to inspire current students with their accomplishments. This section is a random walk through what we’ve recently observed about or heard from alumni. Please keep Graduate Program Advisor, Tiffany L. Dion, up to date with your accomplishments and changes in location or employment. ((tlcdion@uw.edu ) 

Dr. Kanae Komaki (2020)

Since she graduated from SMEA in 2020, Dr. Komaki has added to her skill set by developing a specialization in AI. She recently alerted me to the blog article she published on Medium on transparency issues in Japan’s environmental policies and ways digital techniques could improve performance, From Opaque to Observable: Using Neo4j to Decode Japan’s Environmental Tenders.

In addition, she was invited as a deep-sea expert to give a talk at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Workshop June 10-13, 2025, in Kobe, Japan, with the title “AI-Supported Structural Review of Deep-Sea Environmental Monitoring Reports: A Conceptual Framework.” She continues to build her network with respect to Deep Seabed Mining (DSM). Her engagement in DSM that started as an ISA internship as a student led to the publication of her SMEA thesis research, and now she is in high-level meetings with CEOs, including the firm leading the demand for the polymetallic mining permit for American Samoa, which is much in the news.

Prof. Leah Gerber (1993)

Dr. Gerber with colleague Katrina Davis wrote a send up Perspective article in Science (June 5, 2025) “How migrating marine megafauna tracks with conservation” to introduce a major article (over 150 authors) on research assessing the adequacy of area-based conservation (think MPAs) as an approach to protect highly mobile migratory species like whales (Sequeira et al., Science, 388. 1086 (2025). In case you are wondering, area-based management is not sufficient. Dr. Gerber is the Director for the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and the School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University – Tempe.

 Nona Henderson (1981) and Dan Strombom 

This dynamic couple is now retired from their day jobs but are still volunteering for various causes and maintaining an impressive garden. Nona has been a frequent visitor to their son’s family and grandkids in New Zealand. Their daughter is in the midst of her Knauss Fellowship after having spent time on a Norwegian academic research vessel in the Arctic. Dan and Nona spent much of April traveling in Panama and the Galapagos Islands. Ecuador. They sent along photos from their trip that make me feel like I was hitchhiking along with them.

Stacy Hall Gomez (1980)

I recently caught up with Stacy, who is working at Anchor QEA (consultants in engineering, environmental science, and restoration). We had a lot of catching up to do. Her major focus these days is the Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed new bridge on I-5 over the Columbia River between Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR. That much-needed project has been in the works for a decade or more, and completion of the EIS is an important element. However, it was interesting to hear how, under the current Administration, there are restrictions. New regulations, limits on wording of documents, and most importantly, the loss of experienced colleagues due to buy-outs and reduction-in-force in federal agencies that have made an already complicated job even more difficult.

Dr. So Min Cheong (1996)

When perusing the listing of this year’s cohort of Fellows elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), I was delighted to see that Dr. So Min Chong has been so recognized. According to her Google Scholar Profile, “Dr. So-Min Cheong is a Professor in the Public Service & Administration Department at the Bush School, Texas A&M University. Dr. Cheong’s current research focuses on the social and health consequences of environmental disasters and climate change adaptation, including oil spills, floods, extreme heat, and wildfires. Her recent work employs wearable sensing and mobile technologies to address individual and precision health. She also focuses on energy, including renewables and entrepreneurship, and the effects of energy burden on the health of low-income households.

Aaron Barnett (2011)

Aaron Barnett, Environmental Outreach Specialist and Clean Marina Washington Program, at Washington Sea Grant, was featured on local television news last month. The Clean Marina program, established in 2005 and run by Aaron, is a self-auditing program that certifies if a marina meets the pollution prevention requirements of the Clean Water Act. The Boat Street Marin, close to SMEA on Portage Bay, is one of approximately 90 marinas qualifying for certification in Washington, cleanmarinawashington.org/.

Brett Veerhusen (2014)

Brett Veerhusen continues to be a strong advocate for American seafood and coastal communities through his role as Founding Principal of Ocean Strategies. In May 2025, he co-authored a special report urging Congress to support domestic seafood producers through reauthorization of the Farm Bill. The report outlines how seafood is often overlooked in U.S. policy, despite the role it plays in food security, jobs, and culture. Brett emphasizes that leveling the playing field for seafood could transform how American consumers and policymakers value the industry. Brett continues leveraging policy and telling stories to amplify voices throughout the industry. Full details can be found in the Ocean Strategies Special Report: “Special Report: Support American Seafood” (May 15, 2025).