Autumn 2023 Symposium Schedule: November 29 and December 6
The Program on the Environment will host the Autumn 2023 Capstone Symposium on Wednesday, November 29 (online) AND on Wednesday, December 6 (in person) at the UW School of Aquatic Fisheries & Science. All are welcome to attend and support students as they present on the culmination of their hard work over three quarters.
The Capstone Course Series is a highlight for many students, and serves to catapult some into their first jobs or even their dream careers. Through internships, research, and social media training, students come out of the experience well equipped to communicate about the problem they sought to solve, and to tie their academic learning with specific research questions.
This event is open to the public, and we encourage students interested in learning about the Capstone, as well as members of the community, to join us.
Please also follow the event on (formerly known as Twitter) X #POEcap.
The following links provide: Program, Video Presentations, and All Student Abstracts.
Autumn 2023 Symposium Schedule
DAY 1: Online Poster Symposium (Wed. November 29th)
4:30 PM – 4:40 PM Welcome & Session Overview
4:40 PM – 4:50 PM Session A Speaker Intros
4:50 PM – 5:50 PM Poster Session A – Education & Outreach; Policy & Regulation
| Jasmine Barreto (Room: #1) – LIKE, COMMENT, AND SHARE: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BOOST ENGAGEMENT FOR TRANSIT JUSTICE. Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation (Poster) (Video)(Jasmine’s page) |
| Carina Baxter (Room: #2) – “GO GREEN! STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE” – BRIDGING THE EDUCATIONAL GAP BETWEEN HOMEOWNERS AND GSI. Site Partner: Sustainable Ballard (Poster) (Video) (Carina’s page) |
| Julian Gonzales (Room: #3) – LEARNING TO LIVE IN A CHANGING WORLD: PLANNING AGAINST THE THREAT OF EXTREME HEAT. Site Partner: Seattle & King County, Preparedness Section (Poster) (Video) (Julian’s page) |
| Florencia Gonzalez-Martinez (Room: #4) – DAM! BRIDGING THE DAM: PERCEPTION AND APPROACHES TO BEAVER-RELATED RESTORATION WORK IN SCATTER CREEK. Site Partner: Chehalis Basin Partnership (Poster) (Video) (Florencia’s page) |
| Patrick Harper (Room: #5) – ROOTS OF CHANGE: ACTIONS PLANT CONSERVATORIES & BOTANICAL GARDENS CAN TAKE TO SHARE PLANT KNOWLEDGE IN MORE CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE WAYS. Site Partner: Friends of the Conservatory (Poster) (Video) (Patrick’s page) |
| Lauren Harris (Room: #6) – FINDING BARRIERS TO USING SALVAGED LUMBER AND SOLUTIONS TO INCREASE USE IN KING COUNTY. Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division (Poster) (Video) (Lauren’s page) |
| Palmer Holt (Room: #7) – URBANIZATION OR GENTRIFICATION? THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF EXPANDING LINK LIGHT RAIL IN SEATTLE. Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation (Poster) (Video) (Palmer’s page) |
| Matthew Koay (Room: #8) – THE GREENEST BELT: UNDERSTANDING THE MOTIVATIONS AND BARRIERS TO ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEERING IN URBAN GREEN SPACES. Site Partner: Friends of Harrison Ridge (Poster) (Video) (Matthew’s page) |
| Mae Langford (Room: #9) – REIMAGINING THE SOUND TRANSIT DISTRICT: HOW A REVISED FARE MODEL COULD TRANSFORM THE REGION’S RELIANCE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation (Poster) (Video) (Mae’s page) |
| Matthew Mason (Room: #10) -USING REBATES TO PROTECT OUR WATERS: INCREASING EQUITABLE UTILIZATION IN THE RAINWISE REBATE PROGRAM FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. Site Partner: Sustainable Ballard (Poster) (Video) (Matthew’s page) |
| Caitlin Naqvi (Room: #11) – ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: EXPANDING ACCESS HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE. Site Partner: Fiddleheads Forest School, UW Botanical Gardens (Poster) (Video) (Caitlin’s page) |
| Jaiden Reese (Room: #12) – OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITIES: HOW EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL INTERNSHIPS CAN IMPROVE DIVERSITY. Site Partner: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Poster) (Video) (Jaiden’s page) |
| Ayana Sabbas (Room: #13) – BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TRADITIONAL WISDOM AND SCIENCTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS. Site Partner: Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources (Poster) (Video) (Ayana’s page) |
| Anna Schmitz (Room: #14) – CIRCULAR ECONOMY ADOPTION IN CONSTRUCTION: STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES AND STRATEGIES. Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division & King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (Poster) (Video) (Anna’s page) |
| Nina Shuken (Room: #15) – SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: HOW NONPROFITS CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO INCREASE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS AND GAIN FUNDING. Site Partner: Sustainability Ambassadors (Poster) (Video) (Nina’s page) |
| Gracie Thomsen (Room: #16) – DRY RIVER, WET EYES: AN EXPLORATION OF WHAT MAKES OR BREAKS COLLABORATION AS A TOOL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTITIONERS. Site Partner: King County Stormwater Services (Poster) (Video) (Gracie’s page) |
| Charlotte Till (Room: #17) – BEAVERS: AGRICULTURE’S FOE TURNED FRIEND. Site Partner: Snohomish Conservation District (Poster) (Video) (Charlotte’s page) |
| Anna Marie Wing (Room: #18) – THE THREE C’S OF MARKETING TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES: CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION, AND CULTURE. Site Partner: NE Seattle Tool Library (Poster) (Video) (Anna’s page) |
| Shirley Yao (Room: #19) – FROM DATA SCIENCE TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY: REVOLUTIONIZING ENVIRONMENTAL RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES. Site Partner: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Poster) (Video) (Shirley’s page) |
5:50 PM – 6 PM Break
6 PM – 6:05 PM Session B overview
6:05 PM – 6:15 PM Session B – Speaker Intros
6:15 – 7:15 PM Poster session B – Agriculture & Food systems; Natural Science & Restoration; sustainability
| Justin Chao (Room #1) – WHY WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT WETLAND AND HOW TO RESTORE IT EFFICIENTLY. Nature Stewards Program (Poster) (Video) (Justin’s page) |
| Rachel Ellingwood (Room #2) – MAKING FRUITFUL HABITATS: ESTABLISHING BEST PRACTICES FOR FRUIT GLEANING ORGANIZATIONS TO EASE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON POLLINATORS. City Fruit (Poster) (Video) (Rachel’s page) |
| Althea Ericksen (Room #3) – GROWING RESILIENCY: APPROACHING YEAR-ROUND FOOD SECURITY IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA. The UW Farm (Poster) (Video) (Althea’s page) |
| Jessica Fragoso (Room #4) – DON’T SAVE ALL THE TREES! ENSURING THE SURVIVAL OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST FORESTS THROUGH ECOLOGICALLY-FOCUSED THINNING TREATMENT. Northwest Natural Resource Group (Poster) (Video) (Jessica’s page) |
| Amelie Gahagan (Room #5) – GOING WITH THE FLOW: HARNESSING SOCIAL NORMS FOR REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE ADOPTION. Alliance for Water Efficiency (Poster) (Video) (Amelie’s page) |
| Emma Haener (Room #6) – DRINKING RESPONSIBLY: THE ROLE OF SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS IN COLLABORATIVE SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT. Talking Rain Beverage Company (Poster) (Video) (Emma’s page) |
| Niki Kirihara (Room #7) – O, SOIL! WHAT O HORIZON THICKNESS CAN TELL US ABOUT SUMMER SOIL MOISTURE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST FORESTS AMIDST GLOBAL WARMING. Northwest Natural Resource Group (Poster) (Video) (Niki’s page) |
| Darcy McCluskey (Room #8) – NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: SUSTAINABLE LAND SURVEYING TECHNIQUES. 1 Alliance Geomatics (Poster) (Video) (Darcy’s page) |
| Leila Misallati (Room #9) – EVALUATING A RURAL COMMUNITY’S FOOD ENVIRONMENT: HOW FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS AT A FARMERS MARKET CAN IMPROVE FOOD EQUITY. Carnation Farmers Market (Poster) (Video) (Leila’s page) |
| Christine Nguyen (Room #10) – TRACKING THE TIDE: INVESTIGATING CRAB BIODIVERSITY AND SPAWN TIMING SHIFTS. Highline MaST Center Aquarium (Poster) (Video) (Christine’s page) |
| Jen Ortiz (Room #11) – WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING? HOW TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT WITH SUSTAINABILITY. Talking Rain Beverage Company (Poster) (Video) (Jen’s page) |
| Mya Sands (Room #12) – CREATING FRUITFUL COMMUNITIES: IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND SOLUTIONS TO ESTABLISHING AN EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM THROUGH URBAN AGRICULTURE. City Fruit (Poster) (Video) (Mya’s page) |
| Erin Schobbe (Room #13) – CONVENTIONS, CARBON, AND CENTRALITY: METHODS FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM TRAVEL IN THE EVENT AND CONVENTION INDUSTRY. AQ Green TeC (Poster) (Video) (Erin’s page) |
| Eddie Shelton (Room #14) – DRIVING CHANGE: SOLAR-POWERED TRANSPORTATION PATH TO A CARBON-FREE FUTURE. Merlin Solar (Poster) (Video) (Eddie’s page) |
| Rhea Shinde (Room #15) – THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NORMS IN WATER CONSERVATION BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS. Alliance for Water Efficiency (Poster) (Video) (Rhea’s page) |
| Ella Simmons (Room #16) – HARVESTING SOLUTIONS: A STUDY OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS WITHIN ALTERNATIVE FOOD NETWORKS. Whidbey Island Grown (Poster) (Video) (Ella’s page) |
| Felicity Strzelec (Room #17) – REGENERATING PACIFIC NORTHWEST SALMON HABITAT THROUGH RIPARIAN RESTORATION. Whale Scout (Poster) (Video) (Felicity’s page) |
| Maysen Westling (Room #18) – BE A GOOD SPORT, DON’T FORGET TO SORT: BEST PRACTICES FOR WASTE DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN SPORTS STADIUMS. UW Athletics (Poster) (Video) (Maysen’s page) |
| Serena Zheng (Room #19) – SUSTAINABLE ONLINE PRODUCE: GREEN MARKETING & KEY VARIABLES INFLUENCING CONSUMER PURCHASING BEHAVIOR. Kitsap Fresh Local Food Online (Poster) (Video) (Serena’s page) |
7:15 – 7:30 PM Closing remarks
DAY 2: Oral Presentation Symposium & Celebration (In-Person, Wed. December 6th)
UW School of Aquatic Fishery & Sciences | 1122 NE Boat St, Seattle, WA 98105
4:30 PM – 4:40 PM Welcome & Housekeeping (Lobby)
4:40 PM – 5:10 PM Poster Highlights** & Refreshments
5:10 PM – 5:20 PM BREAK
5:20 pm – 5:25 PM Session introduction
| 5:25 – 5:35 PM | Keya Roy – MYCO-FILTRATION FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND CIRCULARITY. UW Campus Sustainability Fund (Video) (Keya’s page) |
| 5:35 – 5:45 PM | Ezra Thomason – FROM FIELDS TO TABLES: THE POWER OF FOOD PRESERVATION IN GLEANING ORGANIZATIONS. City Fruit (Video) (Ezra’s page) |
| 5:45 – 5:55 PM | Arianna Fardad – SMALL BUT MIGHTY: FORAGE FISH SIGNAL THE NEED FOR SHORELINE RESTORATION IN THE PUGET SOUND. Vashon Nature Center (Video) (Arianna’s page) |
| 5:55 – 6:05 PM | Jordan Priest – INTEGRATED IS BEST: HOW LIGHT RAIL AND BUSES WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WILL INCREASE THE USABILITY OF SEATTLE’S TRANSIT SYSTEM. Seattle Subway Foundation (Video) (Jordan’s page) |
| 6:05 – 6:15 PM | Aliyah Recasner – TRANSIT-ORIENTED-DEVELOPMENT (TOD): A BLESSING OR ROADMAP TO GENTRIFICATION? Seattle Subway Foundation (Video) (Aliyah’s page) |
| 6:15 – 6:25 PM | Lucy Toner – FROM THE GROUND UP: HOW TO INCORPORATE COMMUNITY VOICES ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INTO THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT. Seattle Subway Foundation (Video) (Lucy’s page) |
6:25 pm – 6:40 pm intermission
| 6:40 – 6:50 PM | Lyn Tampi – TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES: INFORMING GOVERNMENT STAFF ON CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (Video) (Lyn’s page) |
| 6:50 – 7:00 PM | Olivia Johnson – CREATE YOUR OWN PATH: FIVE WAYS TO HELP CHILDREN MAKE BETTER CONNECTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. Islandwood (Video) (Olivia’s page) |
| 7:00 – 7:10 PM | Lauren Church – CONSERVE TO PRESERVE: HOW CITIES AND CITIZENS CAN COLLABORATE TO PROTECT WATER RESOURCES. Chehalis Basin Partnership (Video) (Lauren’s page) |
| 7:10 – 7:20 PM | Isabella Garrido – CO-PRODUCING HOPE: EXPLORING THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LEARNING IN UNIVERSITIES TO ENHANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCE. Climate Impacts Group, UW (Video) (Isabella’s page) |
| 7:20 – 7:30 PM | Tiffany Shin – SAVING THE ENDANGERED BLACK ABALONE: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRANSLOCATIONS AND CHARACTERIZING JUVENILE RECRUITMENT HABITAT. National Marine Fisheries Service, West Coast Region (Video) (Tiffany’s page) |
| 7:30 – 7:40 PM | Riley Ramirez – TACKLING TRASH: UNDERSTANDING HUMAN WASTE BEHAVIOR IN HUSKY STADIUM. UW Athletics (Video) (Riley’s page) |