Paige Papineau worked on marine mammal research with UAF researchers, Kate Wynne and Bree Witteveen, in Kodiak. Check out the interview below to learn more!
Where did you grow up?
I was a coasty kid but didn’t move around a whole lot. I was born in Port Huron, MI then moved to Hawaii until the age of three and then up to Kodiak, AK. I consider myself a Kodiak Kid because I feel living here has shaped me the way I am.
What is your educational background?
Graduated from Kodiak High School in 2010 and I am currently pursuing my bachelors in Marine Biology at Hawaii Pacific University.
What got you interested in the marine sciences/fisheries?
Living along the coast near the ocean got me hooked on marine science. I was and still am fascinated with the creatures and how they adapt and respond to their environment.
Interests:
I am interested in traveling and culture. I love to travel and experience new culture and the way they view the world compared to us.
Career Goals:
I hope to obtain my bachelors’ degree and come back to Alaska to work in the fishing and marine field while later on obtaining my Masters and further down the line my PH.D.
What are your primary responsibilities at your internship?
The primary responsibilities of my internship at Fish Tech were photo identification, preparing lab samples, entering data into excel spread sheets, and helping other facility along with photoing flukes and dorsals when out on the boat.
Favorite memory or what you like most about your internship
My favorite memory of my internship was when we were out on the water and just before we got to Chiniak we saw a breacher followed be peck slaps and while we were circling them trying to take photos a female humpback started gulp feeding. It was amazing to watch such magnificent creatures in their own habitat and see just how enormous they are.
How has living on the coast and/or being an Alaska Native influenced your occupational choice?
Living along the coast in Alaska has molded my career choices dramatically, it’s very rare that people in landlocked states want to study marine biology and my friends down at HPU who are trying have a very hard time connecting to the ocean and it’s ways because saltwater isn’t in their veins and the ocean isn’t a big deal back home. For me I want to stay in Alaska and fisheries runs our state mainly so living where the ocean means so much is such a blessing.
What helped you get to where you are today and/or what roadblocks did you have to over come?
My family has helped me get to where I am today. They have and still support my decision to go to college. Without them I wouldn’t be as strong willed as I am now to finish my degree.
Any advice for young coastal Alaskan's who are interested in the marine sciences and fisheries?
Make sure this is the career you want before diving head first in school. Many of my friends at HPU that this was for them but after a year or two they are just now figuring out it isn’t for them. Take on summer jobs in the field and just enjoy yourself. And remember marine science isn’t always fun and games, you have to get down and dirty outside as well as in the office.
Skiffs were used as transportation to get us around to explore different creeks in the area. The students used seine nets and fishing poles to catch salmon and char to collect data on and dissect. They also collected data on the creek characteristics, macroinvertebrates, and water quality for the different creeks we visited. At the base camp the campers learned about renewable energy and charged batteries for lights and computers using solar panels, a windmill, and a bike. Groups of students were also challenged with a project they choose and also presented at BBEDC upon our return to Dillingham.
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