The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs is pleased to announce Rear Admiral Steve Metruck, U.S. Coast Guard (retired), and Executive Director of the Port of Seattle, has joined us as Professor of Practice in addition to his role as Executive Director of the Port of Seattle.
With a distinguished over forty-year career spanning maritime leadership and public service, Metruck brings extensive experience as both a U.S. 

Now more than ever, students at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) are committed to making a real-world impact. SMEA students are critical thinkers with diverse lived experiences and a passion for the environment. Our graduates are equipped to seize opportunities and resolve complex environmental problems in our local communities, nation, and around the globe.
Make a gift today to the SMEA Graduate Student Fellowship Fund. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs will hold its next faculty meeting on Monday, September 29, at 2:30 pm. Please see below for location details:
MAR Room 268  or via Zoom
A copy of the meeting agenda,9-29-25 Faculty Meeting Agenda is provided. Please contact Hailie Borges (hrb25@uw.edu) with any questions or for more information. 

Erick Dowell, a 2024 graduate of SMEA, is currently a Washington Sea Grant Fellow (WSG) working with the Puget Sound Restoration Fund. His work sits at the intersection of marine restoration and sustainable agriculture, building innovative partnerships across land and sea.
Through his fellowship, Erick collaborates with shellfish farmers to design harvest and processing methods for a nuisance seaweed, Ulva (Commonly known as sea lettuce), which can foul aquaculture gear and negatively impact shellfish production. 

SMEA is proud to share a new paper published in Fisheries Research titled Assessing the social-ecological dimensions of Dungeness crab fishery closures in Southeast Alaska from analysis of public records.
The study was led by SMEA alum Rondi Nordal (Class of 2024), with faculty coauthors Anne Beaudreau and Erendira Aceves-Bueno, in collaboration with NOAA colleagues.
Drawing on more than a decade of public meeting records, the research takes a deep look at how decisions about fishery closures are shaped not only by ecological goals, but also by social, cultural, and subsistence needs. 

Want to keep up with the latest research, student stories, events, and alumni highlights from the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs? Follow us on social media!
We share updates on faculty research, community partnerships, student achievements, and important conversations shaping marine and environmental policy.
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Join our community and stay connected to the work making waves in marine and environmental affairs. 

Bella Colpo is an environmental scientist with the County of San Diego, where she serves as the watershed lead for both the San Diego Bay and Santa Margarita River Watershed Management Areas with the Watershed Protection Program. In this role, she leads long-range watershed planning efforts to ensure compliance with the regional MS4 Stormwater permit, work that has earned awards from the American Public Works Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Heading to the Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle this November? Join us for the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) Community Reception at the Silver Cloud Hotel (Seattle Stadium location). Enjoy small bites and beverages, reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and unwind after the expo. Save-the-date. More details coming soon!

Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
Location: Silver Cloud Hotel, (Seattle’s SODO District) 9th Floor, Avene One Ballroom
Time: 5:00 PM

Adults 21+ only—thank you for understanding! 

A 2004 graduate of SMEA, Kevin Grant currently serves as Superintendent of NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. In this role, he leads the day-to-day operations and long-term strategic direction of one of the nation’s most ecologically significant marine protected areas.
Kevin oversees strategic planning, resource management, and the sanctuary’s administrative and financial operations. He works closely with a wide range of partners and co-managers, including four Coastal Treaty Tribes, to ensure collaborative stewardship of the region’s marine ecosystems. 

A new study co-authored by SMEA Director Dr. Nives Dolšak has been published in PLOS ONE, examining how the nationality of waste-to-energy (WtE) facility operators influences public support for these projects.
The research focuses on Thailand, where WtE projects are gaining attention as a potential solution to both energy and waste management challenges. Through a large-scale survey experiment, the study explores how public perceptions, environmental values, and international partnerships intersect when it comes to sustainable infrastructure.