Where
did you grow up?
Since 2001 I have lived in the city of
Sitka on Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska. Prior to living in Sitka I lived
at several remote hatchery sites thanks to my father’s career as a fisheries
biologist and salmon hatchery manager—I have lived in places such as Port
Snettisham outside of Juneau and Port Armstrong, which is also located on
Baranof Island. These hatcheries gave me a unique upbringing because I was
exposed to science at a very young age—this spurred my decision to become a
high school science teacher.
What is
your educational background?
I graduated
from Sitka High School in 2011 and am currently a student at Western Washington
University. I plan on getting my bachelor’s degree there and then go on to
complete my master’s degree in Secondary Education at WWU as well.
What got
you interested in the marine sciences/fisheries?
My childhood
was what first inspired my interest in marine sciences and fisheries. As I
mentioned before, I grew up at several different remote hatchery sites before
moving to Sitka, Alaska. These hatcheries were about as remote as remote can
be. Both hatcheries were home to about thirteen people year-round, with little
or no roads—the easiest way to get around was the small boardwalk. Port
Armstrong in particular only had a boardwalk. Apart from being home-schooled by
my mother, I had what I would call an informal education from the environment
around me. I would constantly explore on the beach and surrounding woods, as
well as hang out in the hatchery and watch to see how they raised the salmon. I
loved being surrounded by science from a very young age. When my family moved
to Sitka in 2001, right before I started third grade in the public school
district, I started learning in very different ways (being at a public school
was very different from being home-schooled but I enjoyed both thoroughly) and
continued feeding my passion for science. By the time I graduated high school I
had been surrounded by enough science through my family, home and schooling
that I knew I wanted a career in the sciences.
Interests
Apart from my
scientific focuses, I spend a lot of time outside hiking as much as possible
when I am home in Sitka as well as when I am at school in Bellingham. I also
started rock climbing this past year at school and enjoy looking for new places
in the Bellingham area to explore. I have played piano for ten years now, and
although I no longer take lessons I still try to play as much as I possibly
can. When I can, I love to get out on the ocean, either on my family’s boat or
our kayaks, or out on Lake Whatcom in Bellingham.
Career
Goals
My ultimate
goal for a career is to become a high school science teacher. Right now my plan
is to get my bachelor’s degree from Western Washington, and then get my master’s
degree in Secondary Education and then hopefully return to Southeast Alaska to
teach. Right now I am debating between getting my bachelor’s degree either in
marine sciences or geology. Geology is a new area of science I am beginning to
explore at college, although I love the marine sciences as well. I will get a
degree in either of these areas hopefully, so that I am qualified to teach some
area of the high school science curriculum like marine biology or earth
science. Either way, I am confident in my career choice.
What are
your primary responsibilities at your internship?
My internship
has been wonderful because I have had the chance to experience many different
aspects of marine science and fisheries here at the Sitka Sound Science Center.
I have different responsibilities each day, although there are a few key areas
that I work in. My main responsibilities are to either work in the salmon
hatchery, aquarium, or to give tours of the entire facility. When I work in the
hatchery I help clean, feed, and take care of the juvenile salmon, help with
the adult spawning season (when we take eggs from the three different salmon
species we raise at our hatchery) and help with general hatchery maintenance
and salmon rearing. When I work in the aquarium I help clean and take care of
the animals, as well as answer any questions that our walk-in tourists may
have. The aquarium is very busy with tourists during the entire summer. We also
provide interpretive walking tours of the hatchery, aquarium, and facility
history, which I give several times a week along with other employees of the
Science Center.
Favorite
memory or what you like most about your internship?
My favorite
memory of my internship so far at the Sitka Sound Science Center was actually
in a completely different area than my normal responsibilities. In the early
months of the summer, the Science Center holds several different weeklong camps
for children of all ages that explore different areas of science. For an entire
week, I was part of the teaching staff of our water-themed camp called “Water,
Water, Everywhere” for second-graders. We explored everything from the density
of water to glaciers to hydropower to careers on the water like the Coast
Guard. I absolutely loved working with the kids—they were so enthusiastic about
everything they had to learn that it made my entire week so much fun. I would
have loved the opportunity to help with more camps.
How
has living on the coast and/or being an Alaska Native influenced your
occupational choice?
Living in the
coastal area of Southeast Alaska for my entire life has influenced my
prospective career choices in several ways. First, I would say that because of
my time here in Alaska, I have come to respect the local environment and what
it has to offer. The diverse surroundings and animal life make me feel like I
am continually learning and absorbing as much as I can from the natural world
around me—it seems like a natural step in my education to focus my career
choice on the environment that has always fascinated me—my home. Lastly,
growing up in Sitka and working at the Sitka Sound Science Center has exposed
me to real-life research careers and what it takes to be a scientist out in the
field. I have a better understanding now of field work and research-driven
science, and this cemented my desire to do research work here in Alaska and
eventually use that experience to become a teacher.
What
helped you get to where you are today and/or what roadblocks did you have to over
come?
I think that
the biggest influence that helped me get to where I am today is my family. My
father’s career that brought him and my mother to Alaska in the first place was
the first of any type of scientific career that I was exposed to. His determination
and passion for what he does as a fisheries biologist made me excited and want
to study science. The same goes for my sister, who is finishing her degree in
biology at University of Alaska Southeast—she is my biggest role model, and I
love that we have an enthusiasm for science in common and that makes me even
more committed to my current educational path. Lastly, my mother was a huge
influence for my aspiration to become a teacher—she was the first teacher I
had, and worked tirelessly with my sister and I to home school us when we were
living in remote areas. Having her as a teacher helped me enjoy school, and
spurred my enthusiasm for education. I can say with confidence that I would
never have gotten to where I am today without this inspiration from my family.
Any
advice for young coastal Alaskan’s who are interested in the marine sciences?
My
advice to young coastal Alaskans interested in marine science would be to
first, spend as much time outside as you can. The more you can absorb
and discover out in the “field” so to say, the more experience you will have
when exploring different career paths. Last, if you can, get in contact with
researchers and scientists in your area. Network. Ask if you can help them with
their work in any way—even if it is sorting through their paperwork. By
creating a relationship with these scientists, you are opening so many doors
for yourself—and even if they seem intimidating, do it anyway! Chances are,
they will be thrilled that a young student has passion and interest in what
they do.
Internship location: Sport Fish Division: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks
Position: Worked on variety of projects essential to the management of the salmon fisheries in Region III. These included: sockeye and king salmon in the Chitina dipnet personal use fishery, working on the Chena River counting tower, access projects, and other projects as available
Where
did you grow up?
I grew up in
Fairbanks, Alaska. I have lived here all my life.
What is
your educational background?
I completed
four years of high school at Monroe Catholic Jr./Sr. High School.
What got
you interested in the marine sciences/fisheries?
I have always
loved being outdoors and fishing; I felt like learning more about fisheries
would be a good fit for me.
Interests
I am
interested in hunting, fishing, sports and being outdoors.
Career
Goals
My goals are
to continue being a hard worker and succeed in obtaining a college degree.
What are
your primary responsibilities at your internship?
Assisting with
Sport Fish Salmon Research Projects in Region III North of the Alaska Range,
and in Chitina.
Favorite
memory or what you like most about your internship?
My favorite
memories will be the work I shared with Erin, Austin, James, Chad, Loren,
Allison, Chloe, Shannon, Audra, Jesse, and Virgil. I had a great time during my
internship, and the people were amazing.
What
helped you get to where you are today and/or what roadblocks did you have to
over come?
My parents
always pushing me to do my best, hard work at school, and my outdoor
experience.
Any
advice for young coastal Alaskan’s who are interested in the marine sciences?
If it is
something you love, do it!
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