Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
Growing up on the beaches of Los Angeles, I wanted to understand the multifaceted systems that govern developing coastlines. I was seeking to supplement my scientific background with marine-focused policy studies.
Why did you decide to come to UW’s SMEA for graduate school?
I chose to come to SMEA because of my plan –to remain and work in this field on the West Coast — and the size, flexibility, and interdisciplinary nature of this program. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I had the opportunity to go on an exchange to the University of Calgary during my undergraduate where I took a class which touched on Arctic security and Arctic politics. These are not standard subjects in political science or international relations courses but are a rising subject in those fields. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
My background is in Environmental Science and over the years I have developed a love for ocean and environmental conservation. In our current political climate, it is more important than ever for scientists and academics to be able to communicate the knowledge we have and to take steps towards protecting our world. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I decided to pursue this degree because it is the perfect combination of my interests.  I have always been enamored with the ocean.  Ever since I was a child I knew I belonged near or in the water. It is my happy place. However, my other happy place is whenever I have food, especially good food.  

How did you decide to become a professor?
My decision to become a professor is born of experiences I had in living and working in Asian and Latin American fishing communities. The job gives me a chance to work at the interface of research and action. Besides, I don’t like having a boss.
What do you like most about your work? 

What led you to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I’ve always had an affinity for the oceans and a few years into my undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to do something that involved the oceans. Initially, I thought I wanted to simply study what we didn’t know, but as I got to learn of the threats facing our oceans, I decided I wanted to pursue something that would allow me to help make a difference. 

What led you to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
As an Inuit person from a coastal community that derives sustenance from the ocean, the Arctic marine environment has shaped a large part of my identity. Inuit people are involved in decision-making on marine affairs and my home state of Alaska has to manage the longest coastline in the U.S. I am pursuing a Master of Marine Affairs to continue to be involved in making decisions that will affect the Arctic marine environment that includes Inuit. 

What led you to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
After completing my Bachelor of Commerce degree, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel and work internationally. During these pursuits I was constantly astonished at the variety of ways humans interact with the marine environment, how it shapes our lives and how we in turn shape it. The drive to understand how we can manage this interaction to best protect the natural environment while safeguarding the ocean as the key resources it is brought me to my interest in a Masters of Marine Affairs. 

How did you decide to become a professor?
I decided to become a professor when I was an undergraduate student. Since my sophomore year, I was a teaching assistant first for micro economics and then for business statistics. Those years combining the learning and teaching were intellectually most invigorating. I knew I wanted a profession that would enable me to keep doing both. 

What led you to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs? 
Through my study and research at school, I realized the gap between scientific research and policy making. Most policy makers in marine conservation in China are biologists who are more concerned about natural efficiency rather than focusing on the interaction between ecosystem and human beings. I am curious about how to bridge the gap and would like to take a new perspective to look at the marine system.