Greetings! With a new school year comes a new executive board, and we’re excited to keep shining a spotlight on SMEA students and their experiences. Whether it’s getting a preview of student research, diving deep into a topic students are passionate about, or simply reading a good story, we’re confident this will be another fantastic year to be a reader of Currents.

Here at Currents, we aim to share timely and relevant discussions about environmental issues, particularly as they relate to marine and coastal systems, and human-nature interactions. We aspire to create an inclusive space where readers and authors alike are inspired to learn, grow, and share their lived experiences together. By centering our readers through clear, accessible science communication we acknowledge that the marine and environmental fields are a part of a larger conversation of emotions, dreams, understandings, and ways of life. To better represent the richness of these experiences, we may feature poetry, photo essays, or other forms of creative storytelling.

“By centering our readers through clear, accessible science communication we acknowledge that the marine and environmental fields are part of a larger conversation of emotions,  dreams, understandings, and ways of life.” 

Are you curious about Currents and want to learn more? Read our mission statement, bookmark the blog, always stay on top of the latest articles, and please follow us on social media. We want to hear from you so don’t hesitate to reach out!

To start things off this year, we asked second-year students to share what they were up to this summer. Check out their stories below.

Cheers!
The Currents Board (Karina, Kenza, Luke, Taylor, and Thor)

Maxwell Perkins

This summer I wrapped up my first research project at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. It’s a coastal resilience model for Puerto Rico that shows where ecosystems could help protect people and energy infrastructure from hurricanes. After a lot of reading, mapping, writing, and re-writing, I finally have a completed manuscript that I’ll be submitting to a journal and presenting at some conferences soon. I’ve poured everything I have into this project for the past three years – it feels surreal, relieving, and a little scary to be finished, but I’m excited for whatever adventure is next.

On the side, I’ve been working as a project manager on tournaments for a video game called Super Smash Bros. I spent a lot of time this summer organizing an upcoming event right here at UW that has unexpectedly swelled into the largest tournament that Washington has ever had. We sold out last week, and I’m now preparing to welcome over 1,500 players from around the world to Seattle in November. That also feels surreal but in a different way.

Eliza Perkins

This summer I led multi-day wilderness expeditions across Alaska, in the Alaska Peninsula, Alaska Range, and Brooks Range, and conducted public education and outreach about many of the topics from my spring independent study, ‘Arctic Ecology, Climate Change, and Adaptation’, with local and out-of-state residents. In the independent study, I read anthologies of Arctic voices that drew perspectives from: U.S federal biologists, Alaska Native Elders, and activists; naturalist guides about flora, fauna, and geology; history books about the relationships between humans and the environment in the Bering Strait; research papers about Indigenous resilience and food security conceptual frameworks. From essays on the Exxon Valdez oil spill to the concept of silent snow and Arctic pollution, to the politics of pollock and various public health crises, I situated myself to gain a bird’s eye perspective on the unique issues facing the circumpolar north. And this summer, I situated myself to be as close as possible to a select few of these issues! A favorite moment was watching this family of Grizzlies chow down on salmon in late July, as tens of thousands of fish entered the creek.

Delaney Cyphers

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to work with the Wetland Ecosystem Team in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences (SAFS). I did snorkel surveys of fish populations in established kelp beds around Puget Sound. A highlight of the summer was seeing squid at the Magnolia Marina site and then finding their eggs on the beach! I also was selected as the new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA) Pathways Intern where I am working in the Policy and Planning Branch of NOAA Fisheries. At this job, I am designing a Washington-specific permitting guide for seaweed aquaculture and also writing the West Coast Region Aquaculture Newsletter. Subscribe if you want to know more about aquaculture on the West Coast!

Aside from work, I also had a ton of fun this summer! I went backpacking, paddle boarding, hiking, and finally had the time to explore Seattle more. I was able to spend a lot of time doing what I love. I traveled all around Oregon, from Bend to the Coast. I had some really great quality time with my family, including my amazing niece and nephews.

Kyla Bivens

I spent this summer working as a naturalist, photographer, and crew lead for the whale watching company Puget Sound Express! My favorite memory from this season was from our August 22 tour where we found the humpback whale Uluka shortly after departing. While watching Uluka, Captain Brian spotted the T36 family of Bigg’s orcas heading towards us. Uluka and the T36s converged in front of us with Ukula rolling and trumpeting before moving on. We put our hydrophone in the water to listen to the T36s when in the distance the T99 family started breaching and heading our way! We watched them call and breach and reunite then start to travel all the while continuing to breach and tail slap. It was a magical and unforgettable experience that left myself and my passengers breathless with tears in our eyes.

Elyse Kelsey

This summer I continued my work for Washington Sea Grant’s Crab Team, a volunteer-based early detection and monitoring program supporting the management of invasive European green crab. I was able to schedule site visits across the Salish Sea and Pacific coast to support volunteers with their monthly trapping efforts. I enjoyed seeing the range of habitats that volunteers monitor and getting to chat with them about the changes they have seen at their sites over the years. Over time, monitors become local experts at their site and amass a wealth of knowledge about the critters that often end up in their crab traps. Despite the early mornings spent catching ferries, I feel incredibly fortunate to experience the beauty of Washington’s shorelines and engage with the dedicated volunteers working to protect our important ecosystems.

Thor Belle

This summer I co-designed and co-facilitated a webinar series with Dr. Clarita Lefthand-Begay on Environmental and Energy Justice in Tribal Communities for the newly formed UW Center for Environmental Health Equity (CEHE). This was an incredible opportunity for allyship, growth, learning, and self-expression. Another highlight of my summer comes from a beautiful evening rafted alongside a friend’s boat, aboard my happy little wooden sailing vessel, Tuga, off the southern tip of Lopez Island.

“In the midsummer’s light, we climb up the hillside, searching for a view of our little homes bobbing below in the growing dark of Watmough Bay. Climbing a little stunted Douglas fir for a better view, we settle into its branches, painted with the ebbing golden light of a long full summer day. Gradually we become aware of an intermittent buvvvv, bouvvvvv, buvvvvvvv, that separates itself from the sounds of the tide mixing around Point Colville. Like a rope pulled tight, the dramatic swoops of the common nighthawk punctuate the air above. Later moving back to the boats, the sound of a thousand baby salmon jumping at once fills the air like rain falling around us, our grateful bodies settle into our bunks.” Excerpt from S/V Tuga’s Journal, 07/03/2024.

Luke Weaver

The highlight of my summer was backpacking for three days on the south coast of the Olympic Peninsula. It was both my and my partner’s first time backpacking and it was definitely a learning experience, but everything went smoothly (thanks mostly to having several experienced backpackers in our group). The tidepools were beautiful and there were sea stars and anemones everywhere. Swimming in the cold Pacific water was rejuvenating, and it was my first time camping so close to the ocean.

I also finished reading the second Lord of the Rings book shortly after this trip. It was a goal of mine to read four books over the summer, and as a big fan of the movie series, it felt like it was finally time to dive into the novels. I capped off my summer reading just a few weeks ago with my fourth book Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. It was an unnerving and sometimes gruesome fantasy but incredibly well-written and thought-provoking—one of those books that pulls you in and you can’t put it down. That kind of book always feels perfect during the summer.

Sara Adams

I started this summer by foolishly leaving the paradise that is Seattle in June. I attended a dear friend’s wedding in Ireland, where I confirmed that Guinness is better on the other side of the pond, biked through the Dolomites, ate my weight in pasta and Aperol Spritzes in Rome, and finished the euro-trip off with a wedding on an olive vineyard in coastal Italy and a dip in the Mediterranean!  

In professional news, I got a promotion at Maritime Blue (yay!) — I’m now a Program Manager for Quiet Sound. My bucket includes our seasonal voluntary slowdown, which begins imminently. The rest of my summer consisted of preparing for my thesis work by learning emission and reduction methodologies, riding my bike, and dipping in bodies of water. 

Karina Thiel-Klare

The highlight of my summer was a vacation in Bali, Indonesia. The first portion of the trip was spent in the town of Ubud, located in the uplands of the island. My time here was spent touring the jungle, scenic terraced rice fields, and the Hindu Balinese water temple known as Pura Tirta Empul. I really enjoyed learning about Bali’s agricultural heritage, including a dive into the intricate community-managed irrigation system!

The next phase of my trip was spent in Uluwatu on the Bukit peninsula, this region is known for cliff-top ocean views and surf breaks. The majority of my time here was spent visiting the many beautiful beaches and avoiding mischievous monkeys, particularly at Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu). The temple is home to long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) who have learned that they can snatch visitor’s belongings to ransom for food. I witnessed a ten-minute exchange of a mango for a stolen iPhone!

A definite highlight of this trip was a boat trip to the reefs around the island of Nusa Penida, where I swam around beautiful reefs with manta rays and had an unexpected visit from a mola-mola. My last week in Bali was spent on a dance retreat, which was an incredibly rewarding experience. I had the opportunity to learn traditional Balinese dance from a local instructor. The traditional dance style incorporates complex movements of the fingers, hands, head, and eyes.

Kenza Oualim

My summer was full of small but memorable adventures with family and friends! I kicked it off by working part-time as a graduate research assistant for the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) on the UW campus and staying local to Seattle. In between work hours, I spent time hiking and backpacking with friends, welcoming two new roommates (including a cat), and paddleboarding/biking/reading by local bodies of water.

My favorite memory was my backpacking trip to Gem Lake with Molly and Delaney. NW Conservancy gave us free bandannas and fun facts, the lake water was crystal clear, and we saw the peak of the Perseid Showers amongst the milkway. The wildlife appearances on the trip were also memorable: salmon, grouse, weasels, pikas, owls, frogs, salamanders, and hawks. Overall the trip reminded me of the natural beauty the PNW has to offer and the importance of friendship and memory-making with my schoolmates!

Taylor Hughes

This summer, I had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for the Marine Conservation Ecology class at Friday Harbor Laboratories. It was an incredible experience to guide students in the fundamentals of field ecology, from making keen observations in the intertidal zone to designing and running their experiments. I also balanced my time between the lab and the field, conducting a lab experiment on the effects of temperature on bull kelp reproduction, while participating in SCUBA surveys to monitor subtidal kelp forest ecosystems. The mix of teaching, research, and exploration of our local waters ignited my curiosity and fostered new connections heading into the next year of the program.