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

I am an active duty Coast Guard Officer. Each year, the Coast Guard sends several dozen people to postgrad programs across a wide range of degree programs. I was always interested in Public Administration, but when I discovered Marine Affairs, I found myself much more interested in applying many of the same skills learned in the Public Administration field, to the marine environment. My sponsor is the Coast Guard’s Living Marine Resource Program which is a mission I have spent countless hours executing in the field. Protecting our marine resources is a worthwhile mission that I thoroughly enjoy.

Why did you decide to come to UW’s SMEA for graduate school?

The history and reputation of UW’s program played a large part in my decision. I was also stationed at the mouth of the Columbia River before coming to UW, and was very interested in focusing my studies on Pacific Northwest fisheries and marine issues. Finally, I love the Seattle area and the potential for follow on positions with the Coast Guard existed in Seattle. Staying more than two years in one house is an important factor for a family that moves a lot.

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

SMEA 591: Marine Science in the Coastal Zone. The class was taught by the students in small groups and covered a huge range of topics. By producing two page infographics on various topics twice a week, the class essentially produced a marine science textbook over the course of one quarter.

What do you like most about SMEA?

The huge range of topics being studied by the students and staff. While I tend to gravitate towards the more traditional fisheries management, marine pollution, and marine transportation fields, my office mates are studying human rights issues in small scale fisheries in Africa. Just around the corner someone could be doing work on climate change, and next to them, someone is using environmental DNA to identify the presence of a rockfish species. It would be amazing to record the discussions in the SMEA lounge and then analyze the different topics discussed in a single day.

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

I actually live in Poulsbo which is a small bedroom community across the sound on the Kitsap Peninsula. It’s a great little Norwegian fishing village that is very proud of its Viking heritage. I take the Bainbridge Island ferry to the city for class. The 35-minute ferry ride is the most relaxing commute around, and I would highly recommend it to someone with a family looking to live in the suburbs. Poulsbo is also about half way between Seattle and Olympic National Park, which is where I spend a lot of my spare time. I am an ultra runner and enjoy competing in races from the marathon up to 100 miles. My family also surfs, paddleboards, and snowboards which are all activities that make living close to the Olympic Peninsula ideal.

If you could design your ultimate job after graduating, what would it be and why?

Well, I will be a Coast Guard Officer for at least the first four years after graduation, serving as program manager for a Living Marine Resource Program at one of our nine regional headquarters. Beyond that, I would love to manage a large scale restoration program on the Snake River. Habitat restoration focused on saving endangered salmon populations is an issue near to my heart. I strongly believe that the only way we truly bring back salmon is through the removal of the four lower Snake River dams. If I was managing the restoration project, that would mean that they dams had been removed.

What is your favorite form of marine life, and why?

Chinook Salmon! I find their life-cycle amazing and their tenacity and resilience inspiring. Against all odds, they swim against the current for hundreds of miles past countless barriers to ensure the future of their species. They have survived cataclysmic earthquakes and volcanoes that extirpated genetically unique runs, yet give them half a chance, and they will come back. I hope to someday work on projects where I’m helping give them that chance.