Written by SMEA Professor, Terrie Klinger
In March, 1989, the T/V Exxon Valdez famously—and catastrophically—ran aground on Bligh Reef in the Gulf of Alaska. All sorts of agencies and entities initiated all sorts of emergency responses to investigate the incident, remove the oil, and assess damages to marine and cultural resources, among other objectives. The region was ill-prepared for the intense activity that ensued—manpower was scant, available boats were too few, and communications infrastructure was inadequate. 

We are so excited to announce our Fall Quarter SMEA Speaker Series dates and presenters! This quarter’s lineup features speakers offering a wide variety of topics:

Sara Adams, SMEA student and Program Manager at Quiet Sound, highlights the achievements that earned her program a Sustainable Century Award for Environmental Education and Outreach from the Port of Seattle.

Date: Thursday, June 6, 2024

We will be celebrating the Class of 2024 and the 33 students earning their Masters in Marine Affairs (MMA) in June! SMEA graduates join the esteemed group of 800+ alumni and world class policy makers building a resilient future in marine and environmental affairs.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES!

SMEA professor Patrick Christie and SMEA graduate students were featured in a UW College of the Environment article, titled SMEA students support Indigenous voices in video storytelling project. The article describes a collaboration between SMEA, the Jackson School of International Studies (JSIS) and Chief Leschi Schools (CLS) that resulted in transformative storytelling videos about the Salish Sea and Indigenous culture centered on student voices. 

Seattle Times: Native nations on front lines of climate change share knowledge and find support at intensive camps
Tribes suffer some of the most severe impacts of climate change in the U.S. but often have the fewest resources to respond. This inspiring story shows how tribes are working together to make a difference.  SMEA student Michael Buck is prominent in pictures and video.  

 
On June 28, 2023, Dean Tolstoy and Director Dolšak hosted Admiral Linda Fagan, Commandant of the U. S. Coast Guard and SMEA alumna (MMA ’00). For reference, Admiral Fagan is the 27th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), overseeing operations of more than 50,000 members and a fleet of 259 cutters, 200 aircraft, and 1,600 boats. Admiral Fagan was in Seattle to preside over the change of command ceremony for Healy, an active icebreaker homeported in Seattle. 

 
Congratulations are in order for SMEA capstone alums Katy Dalton, Marlena Skrobe, Henry Bell, Benjamin Kantner, and Dave Berndtson, SMEA Professor Patrick Christie, and their Brazilian collaborators, including Dr. Leopoldo Gerhardinger, on their newly published paper “Marine-Related Learning Networks: Shifting the Paradigm Toward Collaborative Ocean Governance” published in Frontiers in Marine Science. The paper is a result of the first internationally-focused SMEA capstone, and the collaboration helps solidify connections between SMEA and Brazilian capstone counterparts who are fostering large and impactful learning networks there. 

The School of Marine & Environmental Affairs is excited to launch their Fall Quarter Environmental Justice Speakers Series beginning with the first talk on October 15th.
The series this quarter features a variety of speakers all of whom will address unique aspects of environmental justice from their work, research, and/or advocacy. Each talk takes place on a Thursday from 12:00-1:00pm PST via Zoom.