Silvana González, a PhD student at the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, uses acoustic techniques to collect data in otherwise inaccessible locations. In high-latitude marine ecosystems, like the Chukchi Sea, traditional vessel-based sampling for fish and zooplankton is only possible in seasons without sea ice. This limiting factor results in an incomplete picture of the life history of these species and the ecosystem as a whole. By utilizing remote acoustic measurements recorded throughout the year and under the sea ice, González is able to piece together a more complete picture of arctic marine life.

The adage “you are what you eat” generally turns out to be true. Foods we ingest are broken down into amino acids and absorbed into our bodies, leaving trace elements in our bones. In turn, these amino acids can be traced back to their source like a biological receipt, revealing information about the environment. Using this knowledge, researchers are conducting isotope analysis of amino acids in harbor seal skulls to determine the composition of historical marine food webs.

Professor Chris Anderson was featured on NPR’s Planet Money podcast – a show that aims to take complex economic issues and make them approachable for all audiences. On the show, Chris answers a listener’s question on the environmental footprint of shipping tuna across the ocean.
Listen to the podcast 

When Jeff Cordell was around nine years old, he decided that he wanted to be a marine biologist. Growing up near Puget Sound, he spent many summer and weekend days at the beach and in the water, collecting and identifying all kinds of invertebrates. Later, as an undergraduate at Huxley College of Environmental Studies, Jeff worked in a lab, sorting and identifying biota from Puget Sound beaches; he also spent three summers working in the Arctic, collecting invertebrates before oil drilling commenced there.

Up until last March, the classrooms, labs, offices, and even the hallways and lobbies of the Fishery Sciences and Fisheries Teaching and Research buildings were bustling with the regular activities of a vibrant academic unit. During this past year, however, our daily routines have changed dramatically; our days now consist of Zoom calls and juggling an increasingly stressful workp-life balance at home. Amidst all of these changes, building coordinator Jon Wittouck’s role has become even more vital. Jon, along with co-worker Jason Ching, is still coming to campus nearly every day, working behind the scenes to ensure that the SAFS facilities are safely maintained and operations are running smoothly for critical employees.

Capstone research projects provide an exciting opportunity for students to put classroom learning into practice—and sometimes even publish their work. These senior projects are the culmination of the undergraduate experience here at SAFS.
Emily McFarland (BS 2020) published her capstone, “A new species of Chromis damselfish from the tropical western Atlantic (Teleostei, Pomacentridae),” this past December. The new species—Chromis vanbebberae —was revealed through phylogenetic analyses to be distinct from Chromis enchrysurus, commonly known as the Yellowtail Reeffish. 

Each year, our students, faculty, and staff win regional, national, and international awards. Please join us in congratulating this year’s group of award winners!

Thanks to 20 years of observations from thousands of citizen scientists, University of Washington researchers have discovered distinct patterns in the mass strandings of by-the-wind sailor jellies. Specifically, large strandings happened simultaneously from the northwest tip of Washington south to the Mendocino coast in California, and in years when winters were warmer than usual.

In the midst of a pandemic, civil unrest after a democratic election, and their interconnections to our work, education, and relationships at SAFS, many in the SAFS community are pondering our roles in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). These are immensely challenging tasks, which for some may invoke a state of paralysis or exhaustion, and for others a call to action. The SAFS Equity & Inclusion (EI) Committee, which has recently been raised to the status of an official school committee, strives to play a part in making SAFS a welcoming place, where people work together as a diverse and inclusive community.

As I look out of my office window, I see the first snow of 2021—a reminder to me that even with everything that is going on, there is still some normality. Enhancing SAFS through increased diversity is an ongoing priority—the importance of which has been underscored by events this past year. In this issue, learn about some of our efforts and activities to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in SAFS. I also encourage you to view the seminars from this year’s Bevan Series, which are focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.