The University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) would like to thank everyone who participated in our Winter 2026 Speaker Series. Over several weeks, the series brought together leaders from the maritime industry, government, environmental organizations, and the Port of Seattle to share their expertise and perspectives with our community.
We are deeply grateful to our guest speakers, Tong Zhu, John Wolfe, Toshiko Hasegawa, Steve Metruck, Captain Mark McDonnell, Sandy Kilroy, Alex Adams, Jon Sloan, Kathleen Hurley, Delaney Cyphers, Andy Gregory, and Bookda Gheiser, for generously sharing their knowledge and professional experiences. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs will hold its next faculty meeting on Thursday, March 5th, at 12:00 pm. Please see below for location details:
MAR Room 268 or via Zoom
A copy of the meeting agenda, 3-5-26 Faculty Meeting Agenda, is provided. Please contact Hailie Borges (hrb25@uw.edu) with any questions or for more information. 

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Terrie Klinger on her retirement and transition to Professor Emeritus in 2026.  
A benthic ecologist, Dr. Klinger’s research has focused on applying ecological theory to practical management solutions, including ecosystem-based approaches to managing natural resources in the ocean, the ecological effects of environmental stressors, such as ocean acidification and habitat loss, and how rocky intertidal communities respond to and recover from disturbance. 

SMEA Professor Ryan Kelly is featured in a new piece from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation highlighting the impact of environmental DNA (eDNA) research and the foundation’s long-standing support for scientific partnerships in this field.
The post showcases how eDNA research is advancing new ways to monitor biodiversity and understand ecosystems, an area where Kelly and his collaborators have made significant contributions. 

SMEA Associate Professor Anne Beaudreau recently attended the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group (PCRG), where members of the SMEA community played an active role in advancing research on Dungeness crab biology, ecology, and fisheries.
SMEA students Hannah Brown, Devynn Gately, and Maddie Gard presented thesis research through posters and talks. Capstone students Kiki Dial, Jo Harris, Katie Raab, and Zoe Tucker-Borrut also contributed by helping facilitate a PCRG session focused on identifying future research priorities for Dungeness crab. 

Since graduating from SMEA in 2023, Andrew Kenfick has continued his work in salmon conservation, transforming a classroom policy analysis into proposed state legislation.
Andrew co-drafted a bill for the Washington state Legislature to ban the chemical 6PPD from tires sold in Washington. Used since the 1960’s to prevent tire cracking and degradation, 6PPD transforms in the environment into 6PPD-quinone, a pollutant so toxic that even small amounts can kill juvenile and adult coho salmon. 

SMEA Associate Professor Sunny Jardine recently took students into the field to learn about culverts and other barriers that prevent fish passage. During the trip, students joined Catalina Burch, who now works with Trout Unlimited, to observe how barrier assessments are conducted to collect data for fish passage barrier inventories.
Students Elise Wilson-Leedy, Eitan Gerstle, and Erica MacKenzie, who are currently working on a capstone project examining fish passage barriers in the Tulalip Tribes’ usual and accustomed fishing areas, participated in the trip alongside QERM student Guy Bennevat Hanninovich. 

SMEA Associate Professor Anne Beaudreau has been appointed as a Senior Editor for FACETS, an international, multidisciplinary open-access science journal published by Canadian Science Publishing.
Beaudreau’s research focuses on how fisheries systems and coastal communities respond and adapt to environmental, regulatory, and social change. Her collaborative and interdisciplinary work emphasizes the importance of strong relationships, communication, and trust, alongside the best available science, in effective fisheries management. 

SMEA Director Nives Dolsak co-authored “In situ or ex situ overseas climate adaptation? Public support for immigration and climate aid in the Netherlands” (European Political Science Review).
The study explores Dutch public support for international climate adaptation, comparing financial aid to vulnerable countries with accepting climate-related migrants. Survey results from nearly 1,200 respondents show stronger support for policies that:

Include fewer immigrants and lower volumes of aid,

Focus on migrants from geographically or culturally closer countries,

Partner with countries that trade with the Netherlands and commit early to climate neutrality. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs will hold its next faculty meeting on Thursday, February 5th, at 12:00 pm. Please see below for location details:
MAR Room 268 or via Zoom
A copy of the meeting agenda 2-5-26 Faculty Meeting Agenda is provided. Please contact Hailie Borges (hrb25@uw.edu) with any questions or for more information.