December News & Student Interview

A lot has actually been going on in the Anchorage area. Here are a couple of events from the first couple of weeks in December:

The Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit (AYFS) 2009 was held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel on December 7th-9th. AYFS provides training and networking opportunities for new fishermen entering the business or more seasoned fishermen wishing to take a leadership role in their industry. In the coming weeks, an official participant will write a review of his or her impression of the summit -- stay tuned!

The Interior Aleutians Campus (UAF) had its 13th Annual Interior American Indian Science & Engineering Society Science Fair on December 11th. Projects from schools like Cruikshank School in Beaver, Tsuk Taih School in Chalkyitsik, Nenana School, Fort Yukon School, and the Iditarod School District presented their work to the public!

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Student Interview of the Month

Another important component of this blog are the student interviews. Students who are actually in the muck of the course work and in the reality of student-professor interactions offer the most accurate picture of life on the road towards a professional in fisheries and marine sciences. Considering the size of our state and the lack of roads, the educational journey towards these careers require enthusiastic travelers.

Alaska is unique in that every community has so much character and culture. It is often difficult for students to not only move large distances but also to uproot from one's comfort zone of cultural idiosyncrasies. But it has been done and has yielded great results! Our student interviews are snapshots of such successes. This month, we are featuring a student in the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Fisheries program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Shelley Woods is from Dillingham and currently a UAF undergraduate.

What interested you in pursuing a degree in fisheries?

I worked on a counting tower one summer, but I have been fishing my entire life. I realized there is a fun job behind the scene of every fishery and I wanted to know more about how it worked!

How are you and your family handling the change (now that you are an independent, university student)?

They have gotten used to me not being home most of the year. I call on a regular basis and Facebook/Myspace/cell phones in the village have all helped to make communication easier. I also return every change I get, like Christmas and summer breaks.

How would you describe the transition academically and emotionally?

In the beginning, I went to a private school with a huge attitude that I was the smartest and best student because I was the top of my class. I learned really quick that the skills to do well in high school were useless in college. I had to put in a lot of work outside of class to be successful, and I still struggle with that. I skated through school in Dillingham, but college is always a challenge. I haven't learned good study skills or time management. I have managed to get this far (soon to be graduating) so I'm doing something right. But I wish I learned to study and manage my time earlier.

What was your high school career like (courses, extracurriculars, etc)?

I was on every page of my senior yearbook. My friends in the lower 48 thought that was so funny. It was just that I needed to stay busy in the village, and what better way than being involved in everything? I did well in all my classes and really enjoyed high school. I really miss traveling around the state and playing volleyball and doing NYO!

How has the UAF program helped you personally?

Personally, I feel there is a good support system at this school and in Fairbanks in general. It is a relatively small university and Fairbanks is a "small big town". You see familiar faces everywhere. That helped me feel at home and get to know people.

What has been the most challenging aspect of the program?

Probably keeping focused. There wasn't a particular course that was really challenging. Wait, Ichthyology was tough! Just spelling the course name is hard. In that class you have to memorize a lot of Latin and Greek scientific names for fish species and how the evolution progressed. Pretty challenging! But like any other course, the material is presented and you just have to get through it.

What has been the most interesting hands-on experience you've had thus far in your program?

The most interesting hands-on experience was taking Fisheries Techniques with Dr. Amanda Rosenberger and Dr. Trent Sutton. This was also my favorite course. We spent a lot of time in a laboratory, but also spent time in the field practicing what we were learning. My classmates were so enthusiastic also, which made the course a success for me. We not only had fun and got to know each other really well but went out and did real fishy things.

Who is your role model?

Dr. Carol-Ann Woody is my hero! She is a scientist who does consulting work all over Alaska, but also focused her work in Lake Clark and that area, and has done a lot of work studying effects of Pebble and being proactive.

What do you hope to do with your degree afterwards? What/where would be your ideal job?

I will probably be working for an agency for a few years. Most likely the State of Alaska or a Native organization. Eventually I want to be a private consultant and do work across the world!

Shelley was recently admitted to UAF's graduate school in the Fisheries Master's Program. She will be studying salmon use on the North Slope with Dr. Courtney Carothers and she is "really excited because [I] get to study traditional ecological knowledge"!