Describe your experience in applying to and selecting a graduate program.
I decided to get my master’s through reading postings for jobs with the Washington Department of Ecology. I knew it was the sort of work I wanted to transition into and saw that a master’s would help make me more competitive for entry-level positions and give me an edge as my career progressed. 

The School of Marine & Environmental Affairs will hold its next faculty meeting on Thursday, February 3, 12:00pm. Please see below for details on how to join;
Zoom Online Meeting
https://washington.zoom.us/j/94705406674
Phone In
1-206-337-9723
Meeting ID: 947 0540 6674
A copy of the meeting agenda can be found here. Please contact Jackie Chapman (jachap@uw.edu) with any questions or for more information. 

School of Marine and Environmental Affairs Director, and Stan and Alta Barer Professor of Sustainability, Dr. Nives Dolšak sat for an interview with Joseph Peters of ABC 10 News San Diego last week. She shared her expertise and understanding in why the US saw an increase in usage of coal-driven electricity in 2021. The cost of coal competitor, natural gas, nearly doubled in 2021, so coal became financially attractive for power. 

Current School of Marine and Environmental Affairs first-year student, Adrien Glenn Owens was recently published in the February 2022 edition of Marine Policy. She was a co-author on the paper “Lessons learned from a natural resource disaster: The long-term impacts of the Long Island Sound lobster die-off on individuals and communities”. A result of the research she conducted while earning her Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology at the University of New Haven. 

The Winter Quarter SMEA Speakers Series will feature three speakers from Washington state, and will be made available virtually again due to the on-going pandemic. All presentations as part of the series will be offered on Thursdays 12:00-1:00pm PST via Zoom.
Dr. Marco Hatch (he/him) is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science at Western Washington University and is a member of the Samish Indian Nation. 

The School of Marine & Environmental Affairs will hold its next faculty meeting on Thursday, January 6, 12:00pm. Please see below for details on how to join;
Zoom Online Meeting
https://washington.zoom.us/j/94705406674
Phone In
1-206-337-9723
Meeting ID: 947 0540 6674
A copy of the meeting agenda can be found here. Please contact Jackie Chapman (jachap@uw.edu) with any questions or for more information. 

SMEA alumna Megan McKeown ’20 shared her experience and a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative process for the Knauss Fellow Blog hosted by the NOAA Sea Grant website. McKeown has been serving as a marine policy fellow in DC working for the House Science Committee.
While studying at SMEA, McKeown authored the thesis “Carbon Trading & Environmental Equity: Evidence from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (2000 – 2019)”. 

Describe your experience in applying to and selecting a graduate program.
I first applied to SEFS and SAFS without success. Although, I will say I didn’t apply myself very well and I’m not sure I was mentally ready to go back to school. I graduated undergrad in 2015 and took a few years off working before diving back into the academic world. 

Dear Friends,
We have started the 2021/22 academic year strong, back on campus, and in-person. Our first-year cohort is larger and more diverse than before. We are offering exciting new courses and capstone projects. SMEA students, faculty, and postdoctoral researchers started many new research projects. Our graduates continue to have major impact in marine and environmental affairs. I hope this newsletter will provide you with a glimpse of our work as we start this academic year. 

If you’re looking for a last-minute holiday gift for an inquisitive kid in your life, you might consider a copy of the recently published  “The Rockfish Kids Book”, a beautifully illustrated book designed to connect children of all ages in the Puget Sound with an important marine species. The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs has had a long history in helping to shape the scientific knowledge about rockfish, and has produced many alumni who have been critical to their recovery in the Puget Sound.