Maggie Allen graduated from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in 2016 and is now with NOAA Education in Washington D.C. as a Sea Grant Knauss Fellow. We had a chance to catch up with Maggie recently and hear about her time at SMEA and advice she has for current SMEA students.

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

My undergrad was in Environmental Studies and Sociology, so I wanted my master’s to continue to focus on interdisciplinary environmental science. I ultimately decided on Marine Affairs to learn more about policy making, while still applying that sociological lens from undergrad.

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

I had always wanted to live in Seattle, so the location was a big draw. It wasn’t just because it is a beautiful city, but it also has a lot of great career and networking opportunities. UW has an international reputation for marine research, and SMEA gave me the opportunity to take classes in a variety of disciplines. Many of the SMEA alumni were in appealing careers as well, so it seemed like a great fit.

Did you do a thesis or capstone project?  Are there significant benefits that came with the route you chose?

Thesis. I think we were the first class to really have the capstone project as an option, and I had chosen the thesis route pretty early on. I enjoy writing and loved having the independence of doing my own research. If you are thinking at all about getting a PhD (which I was, still not sure), it’s a good route to take.

What was your favorite class at UW? Why?

I took this law class called, “Women, Poverty and Natural Resource Management” taught by two inspirational women, Elisa Scalise and Renee Giovarelli. I was the only non-law student, so it was incredibly challenging and a bit intimidating, but the students were from all over the world, from East Africa to the Philippines. I learned a lot about international law and how to work towards gender equality in natural resource management.

What did you like most about SMEA?

The opportunity to shape my own research and really pursue my interests. My advisor, Nives Dolsak, was amazing and helped me craft my thesis into a published paper. It was also a great segue into the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, where I am now. Oh, and I made some pretty great friends along the way too!

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

I fell in love with sea otters when I was 4 or 5 years old, and that started my lifelong love affair with the ocean. I like most other forms of marine life now, especially sea cucumbers and other echinoderms, but otters hold a special place in my heart (and hey, they’re a keystone species!)

Any key piece of advice you would like to share?

Take risks in grad school and be up for challenges. The hardest classes were my favorite, and doing participatory-action research with an indigenous community for my thesis was really daunting, but also incredibly rewarding. Grad school is really what you make of it, so might as well give it everything! Same goes with afterwards—I applied for the Knauss Fellowship on a whim, to see how I stacked up, and was super shocked to learn I was accepted. It’s been an amazing experience, and I’m glad I took that leap! Sounds corny, but it’s true. Why not give these things a go?

If you are a SMEA alum who would like to share what you’re doing you can do so through our Alumni Update. You can also update your information via the UW Alumni Services site http://www.washington.edu/alumni/services/update/