SMEA second-year student Maddie Gard participated in the Washington Ocean Acidification Center’s spring research cruise aboard the Rachel Carson UW vessel from April 13–17.
The cruise, conducted three times annually throughout Puget Sound, supports long-term monitoring of ocean conditions and collects a wide range of environmental data, including eDNA samples.
During the cruise, Maddie worked alongside the research team to deploy the CTD and process water samples in the ship’s wet lab for chlorophyll measurements and eDNA preservation. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs is excited to host the 2026 SMEA Spring Presentations on Friday, May 15 and Friday, May 22.
Over the course of two presentation days, SMEA students will share their thesis and capstone research addressing a wide range of marine and environmental challenges. Presentation topics include climate policy implementation, offshore wind development, fisheries management, ocean acidification communication, harmful algal blooms, ecosystem restoration, kelp habitat modeling, and tribal partnerships. 

Join us on May 15th and May 22nd for our graduates’ Capstone and Thesis projects. Check out the lineup below!! 

This spring, Eitan Gerstle, 2nd year SMEA student, spent time in the Stillaguamish River estuary contributing to ongoing research on estuary restoration and its benefits for salmon and their prey.
Working as a research assistant with Dr. Anne Beaudreau, Eitan joined collaborators from The Nature Conservancy, Skagit River System Cooperative, and the Stillaguamish Tribe to help monitor ecological changes in restored estuarine habitats. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs will hold its next faculty meeting on Thursday, May 7th, at 12:00 pm. Please see below for location details:
MAR Room 268 or via Zoom
A copy of the meeting agenda, 5-7-26 Faculty Meeting Agenda.docx is provided. Please contact Hailie Borges (hrb25@uw.edu) with any questions or for more information.
  

SMEA alum Max Perkins has published his first lead-author paper in Ecosystem Services, titled “Exploring the disaster risk reduction and energy resilience benefits of coastal ecosystems and protected areas in Puerto Rico.” The paper was co-authored with SMEA Affiliate Faculty member Katir Arkema and colleagues.
In this research, Max applies a spatial model to identify where coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses help mitigate coastal hazard risks to nearshore energy infrastructure. 

The University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) is proud to highlight the work of postdoctoral scholar Kristen Marie Green, Ph.D., whose research sits at the intersection of coastal resilience, food systems, and community wellbeing.
An interdisciplinary social scientist, Dr. Green focuses on how coastal communities adapt to climate change and other environmental and economic stressors, particularly within fisheries and aquaculture systems. 

A recent article in Nature, written by Aisling Irwin, highlights emerging advances in environmental DNA (eDNA), including research led by Ryan Kelly, professor at the University of Washington’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA).
Kelly’s work is helping to expand the frontiers of how scientists monitor and understand ecosystems. While eDNA has traditionally been collected from water or soil, his research demonstrates that DNA can also be captured from the air. 

SMEA’s Student Environmental Affairs Society (SEAS) invites students and professionals to attend Blue Drinks, a networking event focused on marine and coastal issues.
Blue Drinks offers an opportunity to connect with others in the field, exchange ideas, and discuss the current challenges shaping our oceans and coasts. The event comes at an important time for SMEA students, as first-year students prepare for summer internships and second-year students get ready to graduate and begin their careers. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) is pleased to announce its Spring 2026 Departmental Speaker Series, coordinated by Dave Fluharty. This quarter’s theme, Informing Trade Offs, highlights the complex decisions shaping environmental science, policy, and management today.
The series brings together faculty, practitioners, and alumni to share interdisciplinary perspectives and real-world experience across a range of environmental careers. Sessions are open to SMEA students, the University of Washington community, and the public.