Congratulations to PoE Professor P. Sean McDonald on his latest publication in Frontiers in Marine Science! The research article, titled “High resolution monitoring of Salish Sea estuarine communities through participatory science”, is a collaboration with colleagues from Washington Sea Grant, the Program on the Environment, and the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. Learn more by reading the article here.
Autumn 2025 Symposium Schedule: November 25th and December 2nd
The Program on the Environment will host the Autumn 2025 Capstone Symposium on Tuesday, November 25th (online) AND on Tuesday, December 2nd (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.
The online 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. The in-person event is reserved for students & members of the UW community, but we encourage alumni to reach out for ways to be involved through volunteering.
Revisit this page for a complete schedule for both days soon!
Environmental Career Pathfinding Workshop
Join PoE Director L. Monika Moskal & PoE Advisor Derek Lee for a series of Career Pathfinding workshops this fall — food provided! These workshops are designed to help you reflect on your strengths, interests, and priorities in order to identify what matters most to you during your job search. Learn how to search for positions in a targeted way, and develop skills that allow you to navigate pivoting between the various post-grad sectors (private, non-profit, public, and academic). If you’re interested in participating, we encourage you to fill out the RSVP form so we can get an idea of numbers for ordering food.
PoE Trio Reflect on a Summer of Recycling with WM
If you are walking around Greenlake, eating at a restaurant in the Chinatown International District or even out exploring in Bremerton, chances are that some of the businesses around you have been visited by a pair of WM Recycle Corps Interns. Ava Wygant, Keagan McMurray and Annissa Tan are all members of UW’s Program on the Environment, and have spent the past nine weeks as interns at WM. The WM Recycle Corps internship is an award-winning program focused on recycling outreach and education across Western Washington. While interns complete a wide variety of projects throughout the summer, the bulk of their work consists of site visits to commercial properties, apartments and condominiums, and tabling at local community events. Interns are challenged to be quick-thinking and adaptable environmental communicators. They might be engaging with restaurant owners in the morning and apartment complex property managers in the afternoon. These conversations and interactions highlight the importance of community connections and the positive impact that individual action can have. Each of the interns gained valuable hands-on experience that will further their academic and professional careers within the Program of the Environment and beyond.
Annissa Tan:
For me, the most impactful part of the WM Recycle Corps internship has been the unique opportunity to meet an incredibly diverse group of people. I spoke to hundreds of business owners, managers and community members this summer. While having these conversations was not always easy, it has been extremely rewarding to make these connections in an area I have begun to call home. I have been energized to discover both the existing passion for recycling throughout the community and the potential for expanding that passion. I wanted to make a positive difference through this internship, and I feel fulfilled by the work I have completed. I have also found excitement through the intern cohort, all of whom have taught me more than I could have imagined and created a supportive environment where we can grow in our environmental careers together.
As I go into my junior year in the PoE, I am confident that the environmental communication, problem solving and organizational skills I have gained as an intern will transfer into the classroom and my career. I recently learned that the CEO for the local zero waste company I have a part-time job with was also a WM Recycle Corps intern in 2013. There is no better example of how this experience can help propel me into my future.
Ava Wygant:
Prior to this internship, I rarely gave thought to where my garbage and recycling went. This has completely changed over the past nine weeks. My experience at WM has shown me the complexity of recycling, and why it’s so important to do it right. If we’re lucky, many of us were taught to recycle, but that’s just the first step to taking action. Our outreach has shown me the common gap of knowing about recycling and actually putting that knowledge into practice. Each customer is different, and each one shows you that sustainability is not one-size-fits-all.
Visiting hundreds of businesses has shown me that to keep people recycling, you need to approach them not only with good education, but also with empathy and a problem-solving attitude. I am confident I can bring these analytical and communication skills forward into my capstone project in the PoE and in my future career.
Keagan McMurray:
Many would call me crazy for spending a summer looking inside dumpsters, but I can assure you, working for WM has been profoundly influential on my professional journey. The commitment within WM to building professional connections and fostering a network for us interns was evident from the beginning. More established members of the WM community were consistent and resolute in their attempts to make us interns feel heard, valued and welcomed. Outside of WM, my experience was no different. Throughout the 9 week internship, we met with several different city staff members within the environmental services industry to connect and learn about their career journeys. Our interactions were inspiring and reassuring.
It would be naïve to suggest that landing a job in the environmental field right out of school is a simple task. The current environmental job market can be described only as unpredictable and highly competitive. However, the combination of fieldwork and networking during my WM internship has equipped me with confidence as I enter into this uncertain chapter in my life. My central takeaway from the past 9 weeks is that despite the very real uncertainty, there is an undeniable sense of hopefulness and resilience that is tangible within the sustainability and environmental industry. Professionals in the community are not discouraged by the consistent financial and ideological attacks on their work, but rather empowered and invigorated by the opportunity to make a difference. In my experience, this was especially true amongst folks working for WM. People within the industry are consistently willing to help young people get involved, and I hope to utilize this willingness to spur my entry into the sustainability community in the Seattle area.
PoE Senior Maisie Walker Interns with the Friends of Camas Prairie Golf Park
There is some serendipity in everyone’s journey, and for Maisie Walker, a chance encounter led her to spend this summer serving an internship at a golf course and creating her future.
Robert Horner, an architect and designer by trade, is on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Camas Prairie Golf Park in Port Townsend, Wash. It is an all-volunteer non-profit group that since January 1, 2024, has leased and now manages the city-owned 9-hole golf facility.
A man of many talents, Horner also co-owns Propolis Brewing in Port Townsend, and while working behind the bar one evening last winter, he began chatting with one of the customers, telling of the Friends’ efforts in saving the golf course. At the end of the conversation, the customer, Robin Walker, texted his daughter Maisie from his seat at the bar, telling her she should look into this.
At the time, Maisie was a junior at the University of Washington, majoring in Environmental Studies.
For her upcoming senior year, Maisie needed to do an internship through the Capstone program, which requires that students apply their education and skills to a real-world project. These internships provide practical, hands-on experience while allowing students to demonstrate their abilities in a professional setting.
PoE Faculty Yen-Chu Weng Named a 2025-2026 Fulbright Scholar
Four University of Washington researchers have been selected as Fulbright Scholars for 2025-2026 and will pursue studies in Spain, Taiwan, Poland and Japan.
The scholars are Jamie Donatuto, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Environment & Occupational Health Sciences; Shelly Gray, a professor in the School of Pharmacy; Michael Kula, an associate professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at UW Tacoma; and Yen-Chu Weng, an assistant teaching professor in the College of the Environment.
Fulbright Scholars are college and university faculty, administrators, and researchers, as well as artists and professionals, who build their skills and connections, gain valuable international insights and return home to share their experiences with their students and colleagues.
“These four Fulbright awards are yet another example of UW’s global reach and scholarly impact,” said Ahmad Ezzeddine, UW vice provost for Global Affairs. “The Fulbright program remains the flagship international educational exchange program, fostering academic collaboration and cross-cultural understanding for nearly eight decades.
PoE Student Shannon Cosgrove Celebrated as a 2025 Bonderman Fellow
Each year a select group of UW students are provided a rare opportunity to independently travel the world as Bonderman Fellows. David Bonderman, a UW alumnus, created the Bonderman Travel Fellowship in 1995, and it has funded life-changing global journeys for more than 330 students thus far.
Bonderman Fellows are encouraged to challenge their assumptions about the places they explore and people they meet during their journeys and instead be open to new discoveries. Increasing our interactions with different people, cultures and places around the world has become increasingly important as technology has accelerated globalization and shaped our digital collective lens on the world. Learning about the world through travel and in-person interactions provides a varied, humane, and complicated understanding of individuals and communities across the world.
PoE’s very own Shannon Cosgrove is one of this year’s Bonderman Fellows — she plans to travel through East Asia and Eastern Europe during her Bonderman journey. Shannon is committed to sustainability, planning to travel by train, bus, and ferry whenever possible. Learn more about Shannon’s plans for her 8 months abroad, as well as the other 2025 Fellows and their regions of exploration, on this page. Congratulations Shannon on this amazing achievement, and bon voyage!
Congratulations 2025 Program on the Environment Scholarship Awardees!
Brig
itte Worstell, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Brigitte Worstell is an Environmental Studies and Economics double major at the University of Washington, graduating in Spring 2026. This summer she will be a Voluntary Carbon Markets Communications Intern with the Environmental Defense Fund, where she will work on increasing public understanding and trust in carbon markets through accessible and compelling storytelling. Previously, Brigitte interned with the Electrification Coalition, where she developed nonpartisan communications strategies to promote electric vehicle adoption.
On campus, Brigitte served as a content editor for FieldNotes, the student-run undergraduate research journal, where she helped connect other students with science communication opportunities. She currently leads a sustainability consulting team for ClimeCo, researching decarbonization strategies for polyester and cotton supply chains. She is passionate about equitable climate policy, and her capstone project focuses on identifying the attributes that make voluntary carbon market projects effective and equitable. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, ceramics, and taking care of the many goats on her farm.
Emily Mittenthal, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Emily is a double major in Environmental Studies and Political Science and will be graduating in 2026. She is passionate about sustainable food systems, urban planning and design, and environmental justice. During her time at UW, she has leaned into these interests by volunteering at the university food pantry, co-leading a campus-wide solidarity campaign for immigrant rights, and conducting research on the intersections of environmental justice, urban planning, and Indigenous sovereignty. This summer, she will continue her community work by volunteering at the University District Food Pantry, supporting consistent food access for the local community. Emily believes that building strong connections with local communities and standing up for values of sustainability and justice are essential to creating meaningful, sustainable change. She aims to incorporate these values into shaping her future path.
Maggie Chen, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Maggie is an Environmental Studies major from Ringgold, Georgia, and will be graduating in Spring 2028. Her academic passions lie in environmental justice, climate education, and sustainability. Currently, she is involved in SEED, Symphonic Band, Music for Charity, and the Society for Ecological Restoration, where she will become a site manager in the fall. Outside of UW, she works as Program Developer for Climate Action Families, a non-profit focused on expanding an intergenerational climate movement through educational and community-centered events. Through her time in and out of UW, Maggie has learned about the importance of community in tackling issues that seem greater than ourselves, and she hopes to share this sentiment with others now, and well into the future.
Oliver Girouard, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Oliver, who has lived in Seattle his entire life, will be receiving his degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington in 2026. Drawing from his experiences as an environmental camp counselor and Washington Conservation Corps crewmember, Oliver is passionate about sharing the joy of exploring the Pacific Northwest and plans to become an environmental educator. Oliver believes that the youth of today could greatly benefit from more time in nature, especially given our rapidly expanding digital world. He is also passionate about native plant production and circular economies and has been serving as an intern for the SER Native Plant Nursery on campus. While in service at the nursery he has been in charge of designing and implementing a sustainable shade cloth system with minimal waste and renewable materials. Prior to his entry to UW, Oliver was a member of the Honors College at Shoreline Community College where he presented his research on the feasibility of bioplastics in the circular economy at the UW’s Undergraduate Research Symposium. He is committed to learning about climate adaptation strategies and finding ways to educate youth about environmental issues that inspire action rather than despair.
Sarah Desai, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Sarah is an Environmental Studies and Anthropology double major; after graduating in 2026, she intends to attend law school. She is a Program Support Intern for City of Seattle’s Human Services Department. She’s President of Huskies for Kids, a community service based RSO dedicated to fundraising, programming events, and volunteering to help underprivileged youth and families across Seattle. Sarah is a student leader through being on the Residence Education Programming (REP) team, where she helps plan 20+ annual educational events for over a 1,000 on-campus residents. She is also on the Student Advisory Council (SAC) for the College of the Environment, helping to advise Deans on student-related issues. She’s currently finishing up her Anthropology honors thesis, studying the environmental and human health effects of radiation pollution from the Hanford nuclear site through an environmental justice and public policy lens. And this summer she will be working as a Population Health Applied Research Fellow to assess the accessibility of neighborhood parks for King County. In her personal time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and running.
9 Environmental Studies Students Present at the 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium
The Program on the Environment is thrilled to highlight 9 students from Environmental Studies who will be presenting their research at the 2025 Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium this Friday, 5/16, from 11am – 5pm. These students have project topics as varied and interdisciplinary as their degrees; join us in celebrating their amazing accomplishments, and visit their sessions listed below to learn more about each of their unique research questions.
11:30 – 1:10, Essentialism and Transgender Double Consciousness with Caroline Hale
12:30 – 1:30, Clearing the Air: Accessible Wildfire Smoke Messaging for Agricultural Workers Through Social Media with Haylee Michelle Jarrett
1:30 – 3:10, Making Health Equity a Reality: The Role of Health Insurance Navigators in Expanding Healthcare Access for Immigrant Communities in Washington State with Cyril Jonathan Clement
1:40 – 2:40, Prosecutors and the Social Construction of Crime with Kaisa Synneve Sherwood (Sociology) and Caroline Hale (Sociology & Environmental Studies)
2:50 – 3:50, Reallocating Household Resources: The Downstream Effects of California’s Universal Meal Program with Bianca Pistaferri
2:50 – 3:50, Experiential Environmental Learning: Connections Between Social Justice, Ecological Consciousness, and Student Well-being with Najmo Mohamed Abdi (Education) and Monica Hniang Dawt Chin (Environmental Studies)
3:30 – 5:10, Treaty Tango: The Interplay of Domestic Factors on Effective Implementation of Climate Policy with Evelyn Osburn
3:30 – 5:10, Urban Agriculture as a Method for Reducing Food Insecurity in Seattle’s Food Deserts with Zoe Warren
3:30 – 5:10, Preserving Institutional Knowledge in Student-Run Environmental Research Organizations: A Case Study of the Student Seaglider Center with Layla Airola
Spring 2025 Symposium Schedule: May 28th & June 4th
The Program on the Environment will host the Spring 2025 Capstone Symposium on Wednesday, May 28th (online) AND on Wednesday, June 4th (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.
The following link will provide the Day 2 Event Program.
Spring 2025 Symposium Schedule
Day 1: Online Poster Symposium (Wednesday May 28th)
4:30 PM – 4:40 PM Welcome & Session Overview
4:40 – 4:50 PM Session A Speaker Intros
4:50 – 5:50 PM Poster Session A — Natural Science, Restoration, & conservation, Education & outreach
| Alex Brunke (Room #1): Heat Islands and Ecological Restoration: Exploring Potential Linkages. Site Partner: City of Sammamish |
| Julia Bullock (Room #2): Building a Sustainable Future: Optimizing Digital Content for Environmental Education. Site Partner: Sustainability Ambassadors |
| Chelsea DeGrande (Room #3): Eco-Engagement: Discovering Effective Social Media Strategies for Environmental NGOs. Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation |
| Jordan Genuario (Room #5): Underwater Real Estate: Analyzing Policy Frameworks for Effective Eelgrass Restoration on the U.S. West Coast. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| Ruby Gumaelius (Room #6): Roots of Awareness, Branches of Action: Environmental Knowledge-Action Gaps In Preschool-Aged Students. Site Partner: Fiddleheads Forest School |
| Yifan Han (Room #7): Trash Talk: Zines, Waste Systems, and Environmental Justice in Seattle. Site Partner: Collaborative for Socio-Ecological Engagement |
| Deja Jackson (Room #8): Ship Happens: Research Vessel Exhaust Impact on Ocean Acidification Research. Site Partner: NOAA PMEL |
| Roy Jen (Room #9): Salmon, Forests, and Fire: Barriers to Collaboration, Integration of Holistic Practice. Site Partner: The Nature Conservancy |
| Sebastian Kuhn (Room #10): Communicating Science: Navigating Controversial Topics with Reason. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| Mayah Levy (Room #11): Green Minds: Environmental Education as a Catalyst for Eco-Conscious Values. Site Partner: Collaborative for Socio-Ecological Engagement |
| Ben Loke (Room #12): Science Communication in a New Information Age: Utilizing Social Media as an Environmental Education Tool. Site Partner: Collaborative for Socio-Ecological Engagement |
| Keagan McMurray (Room #13): An Environmental Communicators Guide to Combating Climate Misinformation. Site Partner: Puget Soundkeeper Alliance |
| Olivia Michaels (Room #14): Strategic Recovery: Incorporating Regional Dynamics Into Abalone Conservation. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| Bridget Murphy (Room #15): Conservation in Plain Sight: Using Educational Displays to Connect NOAA and Communities. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| Molly Rabus (Room #16): Reshaping Climate Change Education for Elementary Students. Site Partner: Sound Salmon Solutions |
| Hailey Roberson (Room #17): Transportation Education: Addressing High Schoolers concerns with Seattle Transit. Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation |
| Mateo Salgado (Room #18): Bridging the Gap: Improving Ecological Thinning Strategies in Western Washington for Climate Adaptation. Site Partner: Northwest Natural Resource Group |
| Olivia Young (Room #19): Bridging the Gap: Trust, Transparency, and Digital Tools in Environmental Communication. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
5:50 – 6:00 PM Break
6:00 – 6:05 PM Session B OVerview
6:05 – 6:15 PM Session B Speaker Intros
6:15 – 7:15 PM Poster Session B — business & sustainability, justice & equity, Policy & regulation
| Layla Airola (Room #1): From Brain Drain to Brain Gain: Preserving Institutional Knowledge in Student-Run Environmental Research Organizations. Site Partner: UW School of Oceanography |
| Molly Barham (Room #2): Exploring How We Can Combine Online Communities and Information Resources To Tackle the Issue of Behavior Change Concerning Sustainability. Site Partner: rePurpose Whidbey |
| Kristina Gerard Canonizado (Room #3): Redlining Today: Greenspace Inequity, the Detrimental Effects of It and How the City of Seattle Confronts It. Site Partner: UW Center for Nature and Health |
| Aiden Cox (Room #4): Circularity Counts: Addressing the Waste Issue Through Community-Centered Institutions. Site Partner: Seattle REconomy |
| Anna Crow (Room #5): Local Nonprofits Have Our Backs– Who Has Theirs? Site Partner: The Nature Project |
| Sarah Doolittle (Room #6): The Hidden Health Risk Next Door: Tackling Urban Noise with Resonator-Enhanced Barriers. Site Partner: Illimited Lab |
| Sammy Harrison (Room #7): Behind the Seams: Understanding Youth Attitudes Toward Sustainable Clothing and Textile Waste. Site Partner: The Mendful Program at Ginger’s Closet |
| Quinn Johnson (Room #8): Continued Corporate Sustainability Growth Under Current Political Conditions. Site Partner: Nasdaq |
| Olivia Knutson (Room #9): Strengthening Material Reuse in King County: Barriers, Solutions, and Circular Potential. Site Partner: King County |
| Hope Kuchan (Room #10): Oral History, TEK, and Trust: Multiple Ways of Knowing in the Climate Crisis. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| Sadie McGee (Room #11): The Problem with Stuff: Barriers and Solutions to a Free Store. Site Partner: UW Recycling |
| Callum Mitchell (Room #12): Creating Sustainable Transit-Oriented Development: How Seattle Can Grow its Light Rail Network Sustainably. Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation |
| Sydney Morris (Room #13): From Plastic to Pixels: Empowering Circular Action Through Website Design. Site Partner: rePurpose Whidbey |
| Dylon Ongwiseth (Room #14): Protecting the Puget Sound: How Green Stormwater Infrastructure Can Save our Waters. Site Partner: Sustainable Ballard |
| Kina Painter (Room #15): 3 Barriers to Entering the Environmental Workforce and how to Remove them. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| Sarah Spector (Room #16): From Discard to Discovery: Establishing a Free Reuse Store at the University of Washington. Site Partner: UW Recycling |
| Hazel Stoyka (Room #17): Sustainable and Safe: Redefining Healthcare without Compromise. Site Partner: Harborview Medical Center |
7:15 – 7:30 PM Closing Remarks
Day 2: Oral Presentation Symposium & Celebration (In-person, Wednesday June 4th)
UW School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences | 1122 NE Boat St, Seattle WA 98105
4:30 – 4:40 PM Welcome & Housekeeping
4:40 – 5:10 PM Poster Highlights** & Refreshments
5:10 – 5:20 PM Break
5:20 – 5:25 PM Session Introduction
| 5:25 – 5:35 | Kendra Pearson: Raising the Curtain to Husbandry in Aquariums. Site Partner: MaST Center Aquarium |
| 5:35 – 5:45 | Jacob Williams: Climate Solution or Ecological Gamble? Understanding The Tradeoffs of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| 5:45 – 5:55 | Chloe Jazvic: Before We Engineer The Ocean: Reimagining Community Engagement in Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal. Site Partner: NOAA Fisheries |
| 5:55 – 6:05 | Jacob Jones: Why Ecoforestry? Site Partner: Northwest Natural Resource Group |
| 6:05 – 6:15 | CJ Applegate: Fueling Future Farmers: The Future is Regenerative. Site Partner: The Organic Farm School |
| 6:15 – 6:25 | Eliza Weyman: Mother Earth: Feminizing The Environment And Its Implications On Natural Resource Management. Site Partner: Braided River |
| 6:25 – 6:35 | Emma Freeman: Art as a Bridge: Connecting Relationship to Nature through Environmental Restoration & Immigration Stories. Site Partner: Partner in Employment |
6:35 – 6:45 pm Intermission
| 6:45 – 6:55 | Alex Johnson: Lengthening Linen Longevity: How the Barriers to Hotel Textile Recycling can be Overcome. Site Partner: Washington State University Textile Team |
| 6:55 – 7:05 | Jenna Williamson: Funding a Sustainable Future: Tool Libraries and Circular Economy Nonprofits. Site Partner: Seattle REconomy |
| 7:05 – 7:15 | Chancellor Hoppenrath: Tools for Curiosity: Hands on Sustainability and the Fight Against Perceived Obsolescence. Site Partner: Transition Fidalgo |
| 7:15 – 7:25 | Sean Carey: LEED-ing Green Futures: Understanding the Challenges of Widespread LEED Certification. Site Partner: King County Executive Climate Office |
| 7:25 – 7:35 | Shannon Cosgrove: The Language of Justice: Participation, Knowledge, and Power in Environmental Policy. Site Partner: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Region 10 |
| 7:35 – 7:45 | Megan Hassi: Clean Air Action: How Community-Driven Solutions Can Tackle Environmental Injustice in Policy Implementation. Site Partner: US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 |
| 7:45 – 7:55 | Benjamin Blatt: Blue State, Purple Policy: Lessons for Bipartisan Environmental Policy in the Puget Sound. Site Partner: Puget Sound Partnership |
7:55 – 8:00 Closing Remarks
8:00 – 8:30 PM Symposium ends & celebration continues in lobby
**Note: the judges will choose 10 posters from Day 1, which will be printed out and displayed during day 2. Those poster authors will be invited to present their posters during the reception.