Congratulations to recent SMEA graduates Clay McKean, Caroline Potter, Kelsey Rudes and Jacquelyn Shaff on being selected as Sea Grant Fellows!

Clay McKean was one of thirteen early-career scientists and professionals to have been selected for the 2022–2023 class of Alaska Sea Grant State Fellows. The group comprises the largest fellowship cohort in the program’s history. The year-long paid fellowship matches soon-to-graduate or recently finished graduate students with hosts in Alaska-based state or federal agencies and nonprofits where they acquire on-the-job experience in marine science and policy positions. Clay is joining the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council to analyze fishery data and prepare biological, environmental, and regulatory impact analyses for use in the amendment of fishery management plans. In addition, he will help investigate the incorporation of Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) into Alaskan fisheries. Clay has a master’s degree in marine and environmental affairs from the University of Washington and previously worked as a fishery observer in the North Pacific Groundfish Program.

Caroline Potter, Kelsey Rudes and Jacquelyn Shaff were selected as finalists for the 2023 class of John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program. The National Sea Grant College Program has provided one-year fellowships working within federal government offices in Washington, D.C. to over 1,400 early-career professionals. Legislative fellows typically spend their time learning about marine-related policy issues in Congress and often get the chance to further key pieces of legislation. Executive fellows work for such agencies as NOAA, Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, State Department, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Department of Energy, often assisting in the implementation of management and conservation laws.

Caroline is passionate about fisheries policy. While obtaining her master’s at the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, she worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. She evaluated how well area-based fisheries management measures meet other effective area-based conservation measures that contribute to global biodiversity targets. Caroline received her undergraduate degree in human ecology from the College of the Atlantic, where she specialized in environmental law and policy. During that time, she worked with the Wisconsin Bureau of Fisheries Management reviewing policy and guidance documents to meet the requirements of a new state act. She also worked at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary drafting their 2019 condition report. Additionally, she served at two environmental nonprofits: Friends of Taunton Bay and Frenchmen Bay Conservancy.

Kelsey has always been interested in the intersection of people and the environment, leading her first to a bachelor’s degree in organismal biology with minors in leadership and sociology. This interest was further inspired through her work at a wildlife refuge in Florida, as well as her travels to Hawaii and the Philippines. Kelsey recognized that policy was central to many of the human-environment interactions she saw taking place, which led her to UW’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. While there, she also undertook a concurrent graduate program in international studies with a focus on states, markets and societies. For her master’s thesis, Kelsey partnered with Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, a local NGO based in Cebu, Philippines. Her research looked at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods and resource use in the case of whale shark tourism in Oslob, Philippines. Kelsey hopes to bridge international and environmental issues throughout her time as a Knauss Fellow, and she is excited to continue learning about relevant issues at the national level.

Jacquelyn is a recent master’s graduate of the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs who is interested in community involvement in marine resource management. Her thesis focused on historical ecology and the role of local ecological knowledge of fishers to understand trends in marine top predator abundance and distribution over time. Jacquelyn received her undergraduate degree in wildlife and fish biology and anthropology from UC Davis, specializing in marine ecology. She currently works with Cascadia Research Collective, where she studies odontocete movement ecology and interactions with fisheries. She is excited to apply her background in the natural sciences with a WSG Hershman Fellowship role that connects what is happening at a local level to national policy and management actions that consider both human and ecological needs.

Congratulations Clay, Caroline, Kelsey, and Jacquelyn!