Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
It mostly began while I was studying zoology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, including studying abroad in Ecuador for a tropical and marine conservation and ecology semester. While on the coast, we visited a fishing village and I realized there are a lot of people and communities that rely on this type of work as a means for a living. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I made the decision to go back to graduate school while in the middle of a new job search a few years ago. I come from a natural science background, but the job descriptions that attracted me most required a mix of natural and social science training. I realized that to be competitive in the job market, I would need to diversify my analytical skills and learn how to think critically about marine issues from a social science perspective. 

Alumnus Dan R. Herlihy graduated from the School of Marine Affairs in 1985 and is now a Senior Marine Consultant for the The Gerson Lehrman Group. We had a chance to catch up with Dan and hear about his job, his time at SMA, and advice he has for current SMEA students.
Can you give us a brief description of what you do? 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
My 4-year undergraduate training in marine resource and environment planted me with a great interest in this field. With passion to explore the field of marine conservation and fishery management further, I spent my time working in environmental NGO. The working experience in NGO determined my interest in engaging in this field, but I felt I wanted to have a more specialized and systematic understanding in my work. 

Alumna Breena Apgar-Kurtz graduated from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in 2012 and is now a Fishery Management Biologist for the Lummi Nation. We had a chance to catch up with Breena and hear about her job, her time at SMEA, and advice she has for current SMEA students.
Can you give us a brief description of what you do? 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
I came from a more traditional marine biology background, and used to be quite happy just studying fishes. After a while, I realized that all of the environmental issues I was really concerned with had to do with people. I realized that I needed more training in social sciences and policy in addition to my existing biology skills. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
As an undergrad I studied Government and African Studies and I was originally interested in international education policy. I taught English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda for two years and taught middle school in Austin for a few after that, and throughout that time I was becoming more and more interested in environmental issues. 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
During my undergraduate career, I studied Marine Biology, took many lab classes, and spent my time focusing on ecological questions. I began to realize, however, that how I viewed my work as a scientist was different from how it was perceived by the public and by policymakers using the research to make decisions. 

Alumnus Wataru Tanoue graduated from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in 2015 and is now the Assistant Director of the International Affairs Division for the Fisheries Agency, Government of Japan. We had a chance to catch up with Wataru and hear about his job, his time at SMEA, and advice he has for current SMEA students.
Can you give us a brief description of what you do? 

Why did you decide to pursue a Master of Marine Affairs?
Two summers ago, while I was working on my BA in Marine Science and Environmental Science at Boston University, I had the opportunity to intern at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) here in Seattle as part of my Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship. It was the summer you’re supposed to be applying to grad school if you don’t want to take any time off, and I was in a frenzy of researching programs and reading everything I could get my hands on.