SMEA second year students Maggie Allen and Danielle Holstein attended and presented at the International Congress for Conservation Biology in Montpellier, France this past August. 

Congratulations to Professor Eddie Allison, Post-Doc Nathan Bennett, Professor Nives Dolsak, Assistant Professor Ryan Kelly, SMEA Alumna Natalie Lowell, Post-Doc Jimmy O’Donnell and SMEA Alumni Jesse Port on their publications that have come out winter quarter covering a variety of topics in marine and environmental affairs.
EDDIE ALLISON
Christophe Bene, Robert Arthur, Hannah Norbury, Edward H. Allison, Malcolm Beveridge, Simon Bush, Liam Campling, Will Leschen, David Little, Dale Squires, Shakuntala H. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I had the opportunity to go on an exchange to the University of Calgary during my undergraduate where I took a class which touched on Arctic security and Arctic politics. These are not standard subjects in political science or international relations courses but are a rising subject in those fields. 

SMEA students Lindsay Gordon and Grace Ferrara recently returned from a 3-day ‘think-tank’ in Honolulu, Hawaii where they focused on the Human Dimensions of Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas. This think-tank was hosted by large-scale marine protected area network Big Ocean and SMEA professor Patrick Christie along with other contributing organizations and sponsors such as National Geographic, NOAA, Conservation International, and Pew Charitable Trusts. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
My background is in Environmental Science and over the years I have developed a love for ocean and environmental conservation. In our current political climate, it is more important than ever for scientists and academics to be able to communicate the knowledge we have and to take steps towards protecting our world. 

The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs had a strong showing at this year’s Arctic Encounter Symposium, a yearly meeting hosted at the University of Washington’s Law School. Students and faculty were speakers, moderators, representatives of consulting firms, as well as there to just learn as much as possible from the diverse gathering. 

This year two of our 2015 School of Marine and Environmental Affairs graduates were awarded the Marc Hershman Marine Policy Fellowship. This fellowship teams up recent graduates with mentors in state government or NGO host offices in Olympia, Tacoma, or Seattle. This year-long fellowship offers them the opportunity to work on ocean and coastal science and management issues, with many former fellows going on to jobs in state and local government, private industry, and NGOs. 

SMEA Director Terrie Klinger was part of a panel of scientists from California, Oregon and Washington that recently published a paper in the January edition of the journal BioScience titled “What Changes in the Carbonate System, Oxygen, and Temperature Portend for the Northeastern Pacific Ocean: A Physiological Perspective”.  The study takes an in-depth look at how the effects of stressors such as ocean acidification and low-oxygen conditions, or hypoxia, can impact organisms such as shellfish and their larvae, as well as organisms that have received less attention so far, including commercially valuable fish and squid. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I decided to pursue this degree because it is the perfect combination of my interests.  I have always been enamored with the ocean.  Ever since I was a child I knew I belonged near or in the water. It is my happy place. However, my other happy place is whenever I have food, especially good food.  

How did you decide to become a professor?
My decision to become a professor is born of experiences I had in living and working in Asian and Latin American fishing communities. The job gives me a chance to work at the interface of research and action. Besides, I don’t like having a boss.
What do you like most about your work?