Autumn 2024 Symposium Schedule: November 26th and December 4th

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The Program on the Environment will host the Autumn 2024 Capstone Symposium on Tuesday, November 26th (online) AND on Wednesday, December 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.

JUMP TO DAY 1 SCHEDULE

JUMP TO DAY 2 SCHEDULE

The following links provide: Event Program, Video Presentations, and All Student Abstracts.

Autumn 2024 Symposium Schedule

Day 1: Online Poster Symposium (Tuesday November 26th)

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, Business & Sustainability, Policy & Regulation

Ada Cashmere (Room #1) – The Guidance of Salmonberries: How we can Reclaim Mother Nature as her Children and not her Antithesis. Site Partner: Free the Green
Maya Clauson-Nehus (Room #2) – Bird Talk: Patch Cuts as a Means of Conservation. Site Partner: Great Peninsula Conservancy
Sara Da Silva (Room #3) – Waves of Insight: A Methodology for Tracking Recreational Boating Patterns and Significance in the San Juan Archipelago. Site Partner: Friday Harbor Laboratories
Maeve Doolin (Room #4) – Capitalism and Sustainability: Understanding the Role and Implications of Corporate Greenwashing and Climate Misinformation. Site Partner: Raise Green Inc.
Sydney Elfstrom (Room #5) – How to Achieve Transit-Oriented Development in an Equitable and Just Way. Site Partner: Public Health Seattle and King County
Kayla Engelhardt (Room #6) – Shifting Thermal Windows: The Impact of Climate Change on Bull Kelp in the Salish Sea. Site Partner: Washington State Department of Ecology
Grace Georgitsis (Room #7) – Know your Audience: Creating Better Transit Systems through Co-Design with Community Stakeholders. Site Partner: The Seattle Subway Foundation
Olivia Hallas (Room #8) – The Dangers of Weak Policy: Voluntary Corporate Participation in Standardized Date Labeling as an Enabler of Food Waste. Site Partner: Zero Waste Washington
Nha Khuc (Room #9) – Barriers Hindering the Minority and Women-Owned Businesses to Reuse and Recycle Construction and Demolition Debris. Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division
Chikita Nigam (Room #10) – Nature’s Wealth: Quantifying Benefits of Nature Exposure and Promoting Equitable Access through Policy. Site Partner: EarthLab
Dhanush Pamarthi (Room #11) – Designing For Sustainability: The Role Of A Reuse Commons Mall In Reducing Landfill Impact Through Community Engagement & Education. Site Partner: Seattle REconomy
Caroline Pavloff (Room #12) – What does it Take to Improve Recycling Contamination in the Medical Field? Site Partner: Harborview Medical Center
Talia Russom (Room #13) – Oysters in Acidic Waters: Pioneering Research in Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal and Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Site Partner: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Jack Ryan (Room #14) – Achieving a Sustainable Future Through Design & Planning. Site Partner: UW Bothell/Cascadia College
Daniele Scroggins (Room #15) – Fishing Gear Modifications to Reduce the Bycatch of Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris). Site Partner: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Elena Vega de Soto (Room #16) – Toxic Tech: Washington’s Path to a Sustainable Electronics Recycling System. Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division
Michael Lu (Room #17) – Unhoused People as Park Users: Their Perspectives and Needs. Site Partner: King County Parks
Amber Wang (Room #18) – Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: Opportunities and Challenges in the Arctic Region. Site Partner: UW Bothell/Cascadia College
Jaelyn Yanni (Room #19) – Are our Green Spaces Adequate? The Impact of Nature Immersion on Emotional Well-being. Site Partner: NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center

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 — Agriculture & Food Systems, Education, Outreach & Engagement

Alec Baron (Room #1) – Reinventing Recycling: How Drop-off Sites can Engage Consumers and Keep Recyclables out of the Landfill. Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division
Lea Bodmer (Room #2) – Let’s Map It Out: The Potential of Mapping in Raising Sustainability Awareness of UW Students. Site Partner: UW Sustainability
Tess Brobeck (Room #3) – Let’s Glean: What is Gleaning and what Motivates People to do it? Site Partner: FareStart
Brianna Cateriano (Room #4) – Secondhand, First-Class: Identifying Target Communities for the Reuse Commons and Effective Marketing Strategies for Engagement. Site Partner: Seattle REconomy
Hana Chollar (Room #5) – Thinking About Nature: How Forest Classrooms Foster Systems Thinking Skills in Preschoolers. Site Partner: Fiddleheads Forest School
Genevieve Fend (Room #6) – Assessing Involvements of Farmer’s Markets in Communities. Site Partner: Camas Farmer’s Market
Zachary Flagler (Room #7) – Emotion in Science: The Role of Emotion in Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Science Methods in Environmental Science. Site Partner: Sustainability Ambassadors
Ella Gostisha (Room #8) – Comparing Apples to Oranges… Fruit Preference & It’s Implications. Site Partner: City Fruit
Liam Griffith (Room #9) – Nature’s Crucial Role in Child Development through the Lens of a Pandemic. Site Partner: True Nature Kids
Caroline Hale (Room #10) – Awareness to Action: Fostering Empathy Through Immersive Learning in Climate Justice Education. Site Partner: Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington. 
Monica Hniang Dawt Chin (Room #11) – Cultivating Well-being: The Transformative Impact of Community-Based Environmental Learning. Site Partner: University of Washington
Andres Kappes (Room #12) – We Can Manage: Examining Offal Waste Management Pathways For Washington State. Site Partner: Zero Waste Washington
Haley Nelson (Room #13) – Why Save Something You Don’t Care About? – The Importance Of Outdoor Environmental Education Programs For Kids. Site Partner: Sound Salmon Solutions
Christina Rhoades (Room #14) – Is the Perspective Changing; Assessing the Relationship between Young Christians and the Environment. Site Partner: Young Life Camp
Annie Schlanger (Room #15) – Citizen Sciences: Transforming Community Members into Environmental Educators. Site Partner: Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group (PCRG)
Chloe Stafford (Room #16) – Bridging the Gap to Nature: Finding Solutions to Green Space Access Inequality. Site Partner: The Nature Project
Kellie Telis (Room #17) – Social Sustainability – the Unmapped Pillar at the University of Washington. Site Partner: UW Sustainability
Amy Whitham (Room #18) – Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: Youth Entering Natural Resource Careers. Site Partner: Washington State Department of Natural Resources

7:15 – 7:30 PM Closing Remarks

Day 2: Oral Presentation Symposium & Celebration (In-person, Wednesday December 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 Evelyn Osburn – Top Barriers to Multifamily Composting: Matters of Accessibility & Justice. Site Partner: Zero Waste Washington
5:35 – 5:45 Zoe Warren – Urban Agriculture: A Method for Reducing Food Insecurity in Seattle’s Food Deserts. Site Partner: City Fruit
5:45 – 5:55 Katie Olsen – Keeping our Communities Fed: A Local Approach to Food System Planning. Site Partner: Whidbey Island Grow Cooperative
5:55 – 6:05 Miles Crook – Light Rail Heavy Impacts: How a Toxic Relationship can Halt the Expansion of Seattle’s Light Rail System
6:05 – 6:15 William Hooper – The Power of a Circular Economy to Meet Sustainable Development Goals. Site Partner: Seattle REconomy
6:15 – 6:25 Natasha Shafer – Integrating Environmental Justice into NGOs: The Challenges and Opportunities. Site Partner: Partner in Employment
6:25 – 6:35 Mia Nelson – How the Collective Impact Framework can Inspire Meaningful Partnership and Rapidly Advance a Sustainable Future. Site Partner: Sustainability Ambassadors

6:35 – 6:50 PM Intermission

6:50 – 7:00 Ainsleigh McKinlay – From Coastlines to Classrooms: Marine Mammals as a Wake-up Call for Transformative Environmental Education. Site Partner: Highline College MaST Center Aquarium
7:00 – 7:10 Nile Peoples – What’s In a Name? Themes for Addressing Racist Language in Natural History Collections. Site Partner: Burke Museum of Natural History
7:10 – 7:20 Anika Remmers Jansen – Use Your Indicators! The Significance of Baseline Data of Indicator Species on Future Marine Research. Site Partner: NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center
7:20 – 7:30 Tess Petrillo – Creating Green: Native Plant Restoration in Urban Spaces. Site Partner: Weed Warriors, Nature Stewards Program
7:30 – 7:40 Abigail Rocke – Bark & Ambrosia Beetle Dynamics: A New Lens for Forest Management Practices. Site Partner: Great Peninsual Conservancy
7:40 – 7:50 Nina Pursai – Bridging Divides: Holistic Approaches to Managing Salmon and Forest Ecosystems Amidst Increasing Wildfires. Site Partner: The Nature Conservancy
7:50 – 8:00 Kort Maeda – Storytelling as Co-design: Reframing Participatory Design Methodologies and Frameworks for Indigenous-led Climate Justice Work. Site Partner: Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, University of Washington

8:00 – 8:05 PM Closing Remarks

8:05 – 9:00 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.

Environmental Careers in the Private Sector

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The College of the Environment is excited to invite fellow Huskies to our upcoming employer event, Environmental Careers in the Private Sector, on Thursday, November 14. Representatives from various environmental consulting, business, engineering, and professional services organizations will be present to discuss their work, advertise open opportunities, and answer questions from students.

This event is a great opportunity for students who are interested in discovering potential career pathways or internships. Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024

Time: 12pm-3pm

Location: Unity Suite – Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center

Register here

Net Impact UW Panel on Climate Change

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Net Impact UW is a sustainable business club at the Foster School of Business focused on activism, education, and career development. Every fall, the RSO hosts a panel event featuring new and exciting topics within the climate space. This year’s topic centers on building sustainable and ethical supply chains.

  • Date: November 12th, 2024
  • Time: 6:00-7:30 PM
  • Location: Peek Forum, Founder’s Hall (4215 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA 98195)
  • Parking: Provided free of charge
  • Panel 1: Supply Chain Governance & Regulations
  • Panel 2: Implementation of Sustainable Practices Across Industries

The event will be moderated by Phillip Bruner, a sustainable finance professor from the Foster School of Business. Following the panels, the floor will be open for audience Q&A and networking.

Dinner and refreshments will be provided!

Your Environmental Studies SAC Representative for 2024-2025!

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The College of the Environment’s Student Advisory Council (SAC) helps to amplify student voices within the College, and serves as a liaison with the Dean’s office to promote positive change for the College community. Each unit has a representative, and for the 2024 – 2025 school year, environmental studies student Lauren Church will be serving as our unit’s rep! Read her introduction message below to learn more about the SAC and how she can help you help make the College and PoE a better place.

Hello PoE Undergraduates!

I hope everyone’s 2024-25 school year is going well! I am excited to serve as one of your undergraduate representatives on the College of the Environment Student Advisory Council (SAC) this year. The SAC has worked on numerous initiatives throughout the college including field notes, the CoEnv mentoring program, and the annual graduation gift. In my position, I work as an intermediary between the Dean’s office and undergraduate students within the Program on the Environment. My role is to represent you.

If you ever have a concern about the way the College of the Environment or Dean’s office is operating, or you have ideas about how we can make PoE a better place for students, please reach out! I am accessible via email at churchl@uw.edu. You can also get in touch with the SAC through our co-chairs at coenvsac@uw.edu. The Student Advisory Council has great access to people within the Dean’s office, and I hope to make your ideas and concerns heard.

A little about me, I’m a fourth-year undergrad studying Environmental Studies and Political Science. I am interested in natural resource conservation, environmental justice, and policy and am involved on campus through Peaks and Professors!

Feel free to reach out to me if you ever want to chat. Enjoy the rest of your Autumn quarter!

Sincerely,

Lauren Church

Apply for the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship

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The Udall Scholarship is a $7,000 scholarship for sophomores and juniors who are committed to making a difference in either the environment or Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Policy or Native Healthcare. The scholarship identifies future leaders in environmental, tribal public policy, and health care fields. It is highly competitive, with students participating in their schools’ internal competitions before receiving consideration from the Udall Foundation.

US citizenship or permanent residency required. Four nominations are available for students committed to environmental careers and four for students interested in Tribal Policy/Native Healthcare.

Udall UW Nomination required, apply here: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/apply/746

UW deadline: January 15, 2025 – Application opens today, October 15!

National deadline: March 2025

NOAA Career Day, 10/24 from 11am – 2pm in the FSH Lobby!

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The College of the Environment is excited to invite you to NOAA Career Day on Thursday, October 24. This employer connection event is in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), where representatives from various divisions will be present to talk about the work they do, advertise open opportunities, and answer questions from students.

This event is a great opportunity for students to connect with NOAA staff and explore potential career pathways at the organizations. Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024

Time: 11am-2pm

Location: Fishery Sciences Lobby

Register here

SER Fall Native Plant Sale

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The SER-UW Native Plant Nursery’s fall sale is happening now! Our in person plant sale will take place on Sunday, October 20th, at the Douglas Research Conservatory from 10 AM to 2 PM. Plenty of plants are still available, and there are a few exciting plants and bulbs that will be available at the in person sale only. Happy shopping, and thank you for your support! Contact sernursery@gmail.com with any questions.

FieldSound Podcast featuring Eli Wheat and the UW Farm

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PoE’s own Eli Wheat was featured on the most recent episode of FieldSound, the College of the Environment’s podcast, to talk about sustainable farming and our relationship as humans with the land and food we consume. Tune into this episode to learn about Eli’s work with the UW Farm and SkyRoot, his own farm on Whidbey island, which utilizes an ecosystem approach to agricultural land management.

College of the Environment Affinity Groups

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Environmental BIPOC Affinity Group

The Environmental BIPOC group is a respectful and supportive space to build community, share experiences, and support each other. Sometimes we get food together. This group is intended as a social space for folks to chill, make friends, and offer mutual support.

  • 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 11am (tentative, might change!)
    • Autumn quarter: October 9, October 23, November 13, November 27, December 11
  • Will be meeting in-person at a local cafe

This group centers the voices and experiences of Black folks, Indigenous folks, and other folks who identify as people of color. Join the Environmental BIPOC listserv to see group updates, get the meeting locations, and keep up to date with events. You can also join us on Slack.

Environmental Queer & Trans Affinity Group

The Environmental Queer & Trans group is a respectful and supportive space to build community, share experiences, and support each other. The Queer & Trans group works to increase visibility of LGBTQIA2+ individuals and identities in environmental science fields through educational events. And it’s a cool place to build relationships and make friends!

  • 2nd and 4th Mondays at 1pm
    • Autumn quarter: October 14, October 28, November 25, December 9
  • Will be meeting in-person at a local cafe

This group centers the voices and experiences of LGBTQIA2+ and Questioning folks. Join the Environmental Queer and Trans Affinity listserv to see group updates, get the meeting locations, and keep up to date with events. You can also join us on Slack.

PoE Students Aid in Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Research

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PoE students in the news! Check out this article in the Seattle Times focused on Dungeness crab, which features Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group’s larval crab monitoring and includes a photo of one of our PoE students, Annie Schlanger, doing her capstone research. The Shilshole marina site where Annie worked this summer was staffed almost entirely by PoE and Marine Biology students from UW during the past season (April – September). Read more about the plight of the Dungeness crab in the Puget Sound, and how current research is contributing to conservation efforts.