About Currents
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the University of Washington and its official representatives.
Currents is a blog run by students at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA). Currents shares timely and relevant discussions of pressing environmental issues, particularly, but not limited to, marine and coastal systems and the interactions between humans and nature. We also provide a platform to discuss the lived experiences of SMEA students and others with academic and cultural ties to marine and environmental affairs. We aim to inform and inspire the public while recognizing the complex nature of the issues we cover, and to challenge dominant views in the marine and environmental fields by advancing anti-racist and anti-colonial modes of thinking. We place value on being accessible to the broader public. We commit to creating an inclusive space that uplifts the perspectives of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people in our field, and in particular people who do their work locally.
Currents’ Land Acknowledgment:
We at Currents are forever grateful to the many Tribes of the Coast Salish region—including but not limited to the Duwamish People and the Muckleshoot, Puyallup, Suquamish, and Tulalip Tribes. The Land and Sea of this region is connected to the body, heart, and lives of these Peoples and has been since time immemorial. We seek to uplift the strong Sovereign Nations of the Coast Salish region and their right to Self-Determination. We remember and thank these Peoples: past, present, and future.
We recognize that this acknowledgment is only the beginning of a conversation of actions, awareness, and connection. We strive to meet these conversations with an eye to the diverse perspectives and knowledges of this region’s many Tribal Nations. We intend to do so with respect, reciprocity, relevance, and responsibility for ALL OUR RELATIONS.
Keep your eyes peeled for a new blog every Wednesday!
Luke Weaver
he/they
Editor in Chief
Email: llweaver@uw.edu
I’m a midwesterner at heart, but can’t imagine life away from the ocean. Big-time nerd; enjoyer of birds, mountains, plants, and being outside with friends. Passionate about local and regional food systems, small-scale food production, and science communication.
Taylor Hughes
she/her
Managing Editor
Email: tkh25@uw.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-hughes-ecology/
I am a budding ecologist who spends a lot of time thinking about kelp forest conservation and community dynamics. I have a background in content marketing for a green-tech startup, but my passion lies in ecosystem restoration. When I am not underwater, I enjoy cycling, cooking elaborate meals, and traveling.
Karina Thiel-Klare
she/her
Social Media Coordinator
Email: thielkla@uw.edu
Karina grew up in Portland Oregon and developed a love of the ocean through spending time on the Oregon coast and visiting family on Maui. She moved to Seattle with her two ducks, Paddy and Cake, who love to dance just as much as she does.
Thor Belle
he/him
Creative Director
Instagram: @blue.exploration
Email: thorbe@uw.edu
Originally from Maine, Thor is a photographer, educator, captain, and storyteller. Through education and outreach he has made it his mission to share the transformative power of the ocean with as many people as possible. He hopes to make conservation a living, participatory process that brings individuals a shared feeling of accomplishment, belonging, joy, and inspiration.
Kenza Oualim
she/they
Copy Editor
Instagram: @kenzao32
Email: koualim@uw.edu
Born and raised in New Jersey, I moved to Washington after the pandemic to pursue a masters in environmental science and explore the marine ecosystems in PNW. I am passionate about learning how to increase transdisciplinarity within my learning journey and future career and about how community engagement and well-being play a vital role in climate action.
Elyse Kelsey
she/her
I’m a second year SMEA student and a PNW native. I have two cat children named Marzipan and Vega. When I’m not in class or at work you can find me exploring tide pools, hiking around the foothills of Mt. Rainier, or crocheting somewhere sunny.
Amie Kusch
she/her
Amie grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and moved to Bozeman, Montana for college. Ironically, she developed a passion for ocean advocacy during her eight years living in the landlocked state. She and her pup, George, moved to the beautiful state of Washington to be closer to the vital resource, swapping snowy ski days and day hikes for paddle boarding and strolling the Ballard Locks. Luckily, with the Cascade Range nearby the former activities are just a hop, skip, and jump away! As a first-year student at SMEA, Amie is working to hone essential skills to protect marine ecosystems.
Carson Green
he/him
Carson is a Graduate student at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs and a research assistant for NWCASC. He is a lover of learning, the ocean, nature, community, and music. Carson is currently interested in social ecological systems, coral reefs, land use management, science communication, and boundary organization work.
Marria Peduto
she/her
Marria spends most of her time trying to explain her whereabouts to friends and family. While her connection to the ocean stems from summers with family in Rhode Island, she’s been fortunate to explore coral reef conservation, fisheries and food sovereignty in communities around the world. Marria’s love of the ocean is only matched by her love for good tea and good company.
Anna Lewis
she/her
New to the West Coast from Virginia, Anna came to Seattle to study marine and environmental affairs. She is very excited to combine her international affairs and creative writing background to the environment. When she’s not hunting for sunshine, you can usually find her with a book or planning backpacking trips with her friends.
Zoe DeGrande
she/her
Zoe is a first-year graduate student in Marine Affairs. Her passion for a career at the intersection of environmental management and community engagement has taken her across the country—from Colorado to Nebraska, Massachusetts, and even Panama. She enjoys exploring new perspectives on sustainability and engaging with people about their connections to nature.
Madison (Maddie) Gard 
she/her
Originally from the Sonoran Desert of Tucson, Arizona – I followed my interests for marine ecology and environmental science to the Pacific Northwest six years ago. As a graduate student, I’m learning how to merge my loves for ecological research and science communication with effective interdisciplinary strategies for making an impact. Sunshine, music, good people, great food, moss, and my cat (Otis) spark so much joy!
Marisa Campbell
she/her
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, I have been developing my adoration for animals and nature from a very young age, with a particular fondness for marine megafauna. Prior to moving to Seattle for graduate school, I spent five years in St. Petersburg, Florida getting my degree in Marine Biology and Animal Studies, researching sea turtle herpes, frolicking on beaches, and teaching middle school science. I now enjoy a much cooler and topographically interesting climate here in Seattle, where I am pursuing my broader career interests in the management of threatened and endangered species.
Rebecca Ballantyne
she/her
Rebecca is a first-year graduate student at SMEA. Her capstone research with the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians focuses on community benefit agreements for equitable renewable energy expansion. Prior to SMEA, she worked as a senior software engineer at Microsoft and Meta and as an outdoor guide at REI. She’s passionate about climate change adaptation and mitigation, restoration, and community engagement. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys volunteering with a local wildlife rehabilitation center, gardening with native plants, backpacking, bird watching, and generally spending as much time outside as possible.
Indra Behar
he/him
Biblio-vermiform native to the UK, but introduced to the southwest US before migrating northwards and rediscovering their niche in the rainy Pacific northwest. Commonly observed poking around tidepools and bookstores to look for treasures between the stones and shelves. Loves to babble about ecosystem health, restoration, and stewardship. Hibernates with a cup of tea during winter and emerges every summer to voyage by skateboard and kayak.
Isaac Olson
he/him
Isaac is interested in turning scientific understanding of human-driven threats to coastal communities into accessible and impactful environmental communication that can inform regional decision-making. He graduated from the UW, studying Oceanography and Environmental Studies, and now serves on the Program on Climate Change’s Graduate Steering Committee and works with Washington Sea Grant on ocean carbon communication projects. Isaac lives on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish people, including the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes, who have stewarded the lands since time immemorial, and uplifts work to undo historical inequities and create more just stewards of our shared environment.
Bea Pickett
she/her
Bea is a SMEA masters student aspiring to work at the intersections of science, public policy, and environmental justice. Before grad school, she worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Boston to implement climate and air quality programs. Having grown up in Portland, Oregon she is psyched to be back in the Pacific Northwest for grad school. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and exploring the outdoors.