Building community among students

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Building community among the different student groups at SAFS and Marine Biology—undergraduates, graduates and postdocs—the SAFS Undergrad Community Building Event was held was held for the fourth year running.

Taking place on 13 May, undergraduates were invited to walk around and speak to grads and postdocs about different topics including grad school, what life looks like after graduation, and finding your way in science.

Organized through the SAFS DEI Committee, the event was inspired by the graduate student peer mentoring program and the desire to build a community within SAFS that includes undergrads.

A group of people sit and stand in a lobby area.
Taylor Triviño
SAFS undergrads were invited to walk around and talk to different graduates and postdocs.

Graduate student, Taylor Triviño, who helped to organize the event, shared her thoughts:

“This is my second year helping to organize the event and I find it very rewarding connecting our undergraduate students and graduate students in the department. I overheard great conversations about life after graduation, what grad school looks like, and stories about finding your path in science. Academia can be a tricky place to navigate especially as a first-generation student, so being able to share my experience can reveal some of the hidden curriculum that no one tells you about but expects you to know. The graduate students in SAFS come from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and disciplines where we each can speak about how we got to Seattle and how different each of our paths have been. I’m hoping to continue to organize this event each spring to strengthen our community, uplift the undergraduates, and share how amazing the work we do here at SAFS is.” – Taylor Triviño

Two graduate students awarded SAFS DEIJ and Community Service Recognition Award

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We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 SAFS DEIJ and Community Service Recognition Award: Julia Indivero and Claire Vaage.

Julia Indivero (PhD)

Julia was nominated for contribution to this year’s DEIJ activities and her attention to fellow graduate student’s concerns and needs. As a member of the SAFS DEI Committee, she led the third annual Undergraduate Community Building Event, which created a space for undergraduate students in aquatic sciences to meet with graduate students and postdocs in SAFS. As one of the FINS treasurers, she ensures funds for research communication and conference attendance are distributed to students in an equitable manner. Additionally, she frequently takes initiative in participating in department events, encouraging other students along the way and fostering a sense of community. Beyond SAFS, Julia is also an active committee member for UW’s Sustainability Fund, whose mission is to create an environmentally and socially engaged campus by funding student led projects.

Claire Vaage (MS)

Claire was also nominated for her leadership and demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion for students at every level. As the FINS Social Chair, she has created many quarterly events that are accessible and reproducible for years to come. She has also been instrumental in reigniting the Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society here at UW, and through this renewed student chapter, she has facilitated educational workshops for professional development. Her support of undergraduate students also includes empowering them to participate in regional AFS meetings and volunteering for events like the Hollings Scholar Workshops. Beyond SAFS, Claire’s position on the SEAS board has allowed her to work with fellow students on improving, creating, and sharing lesson plans for students in the Seattle area who have been historically excluded from STEM fields.

The work that these awardees have done increases access, equity, and inclusion in aquatic sciences by giving opportunities, resources, and mentorship to students who may not have it. We are delighted to honor Julia and Claire for their hard work and dedication to making SAFS a more equitable and inclusive institution. The DEI Committee would also like to thank everyone who has contributed excellent and important work to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice at SAFS.