UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs

08/19/2026

Support the next generation of marine and environmental leaders and make a gift today.

The start of the 2026–27 academic year is just around the corner, and SMEA students will soon be back on campus, preparing to address some of the world's most pressing marine and environmental challenges.

As they begin a new year of learning, research, and community engagement, you can help set them up for success. A gift to the SMEA Graduate Student Fellowship Fund provides critical financial support, allowing students to focus on developing the knowledge and skills they'll use to make a lasting impact.

Make a gift to support SMEA students:

Support students at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs as we train the next generation of policy makers.

08/11/2026

Field research can get a little messy! 🌊🦪

On July 28, SMEA students Eve Byers, Paul Messier, and Katie Raab, alongside recent SMEA graduate Sawyer Jenkins, headed out to an Olympia oyster bed in Padilla Bay near Edison for a field sampling trip.

The team was collecting samples as part of Eve’s thesis project, which focuses on larval crab composition in oyster beds.

The research may have been productive, but it was definitely muddy! 🦀🌿

We love seeing SMEA students putting their research into practice out in the field.

08/05/2026

07/22/2026

Congratulations to Jane Holiday and Walker Hobson! We can't wait to see what you accomplish!!

07/22/2026

Congratulations to SMEA Director Dr. Phil Levin on being elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences!

This prestigious honor recognizes scientists and engineers whose work has made significant contributions to their fields and to the people of Washington. We're proud to see Phil's leadership and dedication to conservation science recognized through this well-deserved achievement.

Join us in congratulating Phil! 👏

Learn more:

SEATTLE, WA – The Washington State Academy of Sciences (WSAS) announced today the election of 30 new members in recognition of their outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement and willingness to assist the Academy in providing the best available scientific information and technical...

07/17/2026

We’re excited to announce new leadership changes across the College! 🎉

Becky Alexander has been named chair of the UW Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science.

Phil Levin has been appointed the new director of UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs.

Susan Dickerson-Lange is stepping in as the interim director of UW EarthLab.

Please join us in congratulating them as they begin their new roles!

Read more at https://bit.ly/4b02ybT

07/16/2026

We are thrilled to announce Dr. Phil Levin as the new Director of the University of Washington School of Marine & Environmental Affairs.

Many in the SMEA community already know Dr. Levin through his years as a member of our core faculty and his recent role as Interim Executive Director of EarthLab. He currently serves as the director of TheNatureRecord and previously was the Director of the National Nature Assessment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, The Nature Conservancy of Washington, and NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center.

A conservation scientist, Dr. Levin's work focuses on bridging theory and practice, as well as the natural and social sciences, to develop interdisciplinary tools that support the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Levin to the SMEA community!

Learn more:

The University of Washington School of Marine & Environmental Affairs (SMEA) is pleased to welcome Dr. Phil Levin as the School’s new Director. An internationally recognized conservation scientist, Dr. Levin has dedicated his career to advancing interdisciplinary approaches that connect science, p...

07/10/2026

Congratulations to SMEA Director Dr. Nives Dolšak on her latest co-authored publication!

The study examines how U.S. environmental nonprofits have incorporated social justice into their work over the past decade and what factors influence that integration.

Read more:

What motivates US-based environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) to incorporate social justice (SJ) into their missions and activities? How does this integration occur? ENGOs could integra...

07/08/2026

As part of our Summer 2026 Newsletter, we're highlighting SMEA faculty member Dr. Shana Hirsch with a special Q&A.

Get to know Dr. Hirsch, explore the research questions that drive her work, and learn what she's most excited about as a member of the SMEA community.

Read the full feature:

We are excited to welcome Dr. Shana Hirsch as the newest faculty member at SMEA. As a qualitative social scientist with a background in natural resource politics, policy, and management, Shana’s work explores how emerging technologies shape sustainability, environmental management, and climate res...

07/01/2026

Featured Alumni: Tanya Pelach (MMA '22)

Our newest Featured Alumni spotlight highlights Tanya Pelach and the path that led her from SMEA to a career in environmental leadership.

Read about her journey, the lessons she took from her time at SMEA, and the work she's doing today to support marine and natural resource stewardship.

📖 Read the full story:

Tanya Pelach is a citizen of the Quinault Indian Nation and serves as Deputy Director of the Quinault Indian Nation’s Division of Natural Resources. In this role, she helps lead efforts to steward and protect Tribal lands, waters, and treaty-reserved resources, supporting the Nation’s long-term ...