Professor Eddie Allison and co-authors recently published an article in Frontiers in Marine Science titled “Securing a just space for small-scale fisheries in the blue economy.” The article discusses how Blue Economy/Blue Growth initiatives see the ocean as the new economic frontier, but the largest group of ocean-users – women and men who service, fish and trade from small-scale fisheries (SSF) are being squeezed for geographic, political and economic space by larger scale economic and environmental conservation interests. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I’m one of those people who was kind of in limbo after undergrad. I’d just gotten a degree and a job in marine biology, but I didn’t feel like continuing doing scientific research. I also didn’t know what I felt like doing either. I only knew that I still liked learning stuff that’s going on in the ocean, and that I wanted to do more social justice work someday. 

Congratulations to SMEA student Angela Cruz and SMEA student organization SEAS (Student Environmental Affairs Society) on their respective Husky Green Award nominations. The Husky Green Awards are given annually to recognize students, faculty and staff from the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses who show environmental leadership and dedication. The Husky Green Awards are celebrating the 10th year of recognizing sustainability leadership at the University of Washington. 

Alumna Kathleen Pozarycki graduated from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in 2008. She recently returned to campus during Prospective Student Visit Weekend, to serve on a Q&A Panel for students admitted to join the Class of 2021. We had a chance to catch up with Kathleen and hear about her career, and ask what advice she has for current SMEA students. 

Recently, an anonymous donor committed to give $125,000 to support students in the School of Marine & Environmental Affairs that are working on research projects related to the conservation and management of marine resources in the Alaska region, as well as state, federal, or international agencies’ management and policy objectives. The North Pacific Marine Resources Term Fellowship will help create immersive opportunities for these graduate students to conduct critical marine resource management and conservation research in the coastal and international waters off Alaska. 

Does the fact that the most visible advocate of the Green New Deal, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, states she is a Democratic Socialist, impact chances of bipartisan political support for this policy? SMEA Professor and Associate Director Nives Dolšak and UW Director of the Center for Environmental Politics Aseem Prakash give three reasons why socialist framing could cause problems. Among them, socialist framing is bad politics, at least in America. 

Alumnus Ian Zelo graduated from the School of Marine Affairs in 2000. He began working for NOAA’s National Ocean Service Office of Response and Restoration in 2002, and now serves as Chief of Staff. We had a chance to catch up with Ian and hear about what he enjoys most about his career, learn what traits have best served him, and ask what advice he has for current SMEA students. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
After moving to the west coast as a teenager, I totally fell in love with the ocean. As an undergrad, I pursued a Bachelor of Science in geography and coastal studies so I could learn more about it. I focused mainly in the natural sciences, but once I started considering careers I decided I wanted to know more about the human dimensions around our coasts and oceans. 

Congratulations to SMEA alumna Thao Huynh (MMA 2018) and her co-authors from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Washington State University for publishing an article based on Huynh’s MMA thesis. Her thesis involved careful experimental and histological work on the reproductive biology of black cod, with a view of finding effective sterilization methods to allow for farming them in sea cages. 

Congratulations to second-year SMEA student Samantha Farquhar, who is one of fifteen University of Washington students receiving a Fulbright grant for 2018-19. The Fulbright Program is the United States government’s flagship international educational exchange program. With her Fulbright, Sam will work in Madagascar for 9 months with the marine conservation NGO Blue Ventures. She will be tasked with leading an integrated social survey of fishing communities throughout the Barren Isles.