Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and Aquatic & Fishery Sciences

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

FHL, no question. I didn’t get a great chance to meet people in the major for a while, since I only took one actual Marine bio class before COVID and then everything was online for so long. FHL gave me my first real friends in marine bio and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Other than my FHL class, it’s a tie between FISH 406 and FISH 312. Chelsea Wood is a wonderful professor and a wonderful human being, and makes her classes incredibly engaging and entertaining. Her enthusiasm, especially for parasites, is contagious (pun somewhat intended).

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Bachelor of Arts, Majors in Art and Education, Communities and Organizations

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

The best experience for me while in the Marine Biology program is getting supported and cheered on by the best advisor there is, Joe has been an incredible resource and supporter for my time at UW. My path to graduate with my three majors, was not the easiest, and not everyone was always the most supportive, but Joe literally never had a doubt and helped me through all of these years.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

This question is tough because I have really enjoyed so many classes during my time in the marine biology major, but my favorite is probably Professor Chelsea Wood’s FISH 406 Parasite Ecology class. This class was so engaging and exciting, it was the first time in a long time that material was all new for me and kept me on my toes. It was especially special because I shared it with some of my closest friends, and it was the first quarter back on campus after the pandemic.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Looking forward to jumping into the workforce and seeing where that takes me. I’ll be pursuing informal education related jobs, hopefully in youth development programs, that focus on marine science and art, and especially when I get the chance to work with and on interdisciplinary curriculum development.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Friday Harbor Labs

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Anything with Jose Guzman

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Save money and have fun until I decide to toe dip into research opportunities

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Mathematics

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Getting to experience FHL for a summer was so much fun. Seeing orcas, sea lions, harbor seals, and all kinds of marine birds in the San Juan Islands was an unforgettable experience that solidified my decision to become a marine biologist.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My best single memory comes from my time at Friday Harbor labs, taking rowboats in the dead of night to observe bioluminescent plankton. This and other memories which define my time in the Marine Biology program are most special because of the amazing people I shared them with.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

I have genuinely loved every marine biology class I have taken at UW. The faculty and supporting staff are some of the most passionate, generous people I have ever met, and learning from them has been my privilege and joy.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My best experience with the Marine Biology program was the time I spent at Friday Harbor Labs. The hands-on learning I experienced there was really transformative and helped me solidify my career goals. I also met so many wonderful people and really enjoyed the community feel at FHL.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

My favorite class I took for the Marine Biology major was FHL 492, the ecology and conservation of marine birds and mammals. I learned so much about my favorite marine animals and actually got to observe many of them in their natural environment. I loved that we got to design and conduct our own field research project, which helped me gain skills that will be useful in future roles.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Quantitive Science

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

While I had so many wonderful experiences out in the field with the Marine Biology program what really stands out to me is the family feeling that the program has. Despite being a transfer student and being online for a large chunk of my time at UW, MarBio and FISH professors learned my name and would check in when I passed them in the halls, and my peers welcomed me into study groups and lasting friendships. Tackling college was so much easier knowing I had such a supportive community around me.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I am going up to Anchorage AK to be a marine mammal technician! I will be helping collect data on projects related to Beluga whales. I can’t wait to spend more time out in the field interacting with marine organisms and learning about different data collection techniques.

Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and ESRM: Natural Resource and Environmental Management

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

FHL 470- Research in marine biology, because it was free to individual interpretation! We could literally construct our own research project from the ground up. Wonderful amount of freedom.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

To relax and not have any deadlines

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Studying at Friday Harbor Labs! The island is amazing and the classes are not too bad either. Seeing Orcas and other marine organisms from the shore was my favorite memory!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Invertebrate biology was my favorite class. I felt like the material presented was very fascinating to me!

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I am currently working on writing a children’s book and then maybe I will pursue a teaching certification.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Oceanography

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Making amazing friends in Jose’s class as well as Spending time at Friday Harbor Labs!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

FSH250, greatest introduction to Marine Bio. Bc specially the marine bio fig started off my first year at UW right

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Middle school science teaching

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Friday Harbor Labs and the research apprenticeship, partly because it was my final quarter but mostly because it was like adult sleepaway camp but with science 🙂

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Marine Top Predators- Fish 497

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I am a high school science teacher in Austin, TX teaching biology and environmental science! I am hoping to add aquatic science to that as well one day!

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Spending September at Friday Harbor with 488! It was such a fun class and a great learning experience and I made so many friends!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

This is a really hard question but I think FISH 270 was my favorite. The course content was what I was most interested in and José was so passionate about the content and taught it really well. It definitely grew my interest in physiology and I loved it!

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I’m getting married in September and on the job hunt for a field bio technician job or another full time job that sparks my interest, hopefully in the aquatic sciences.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Attending Friday Harbor Labs in the summer. It has to be one of my best college experiences, as I learned a lot and got great field experience. I also made awesome new friends!

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

The zoobot program at Friday Harbor labs was incredible!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Parasite Ecology. This was the most unique and interesting class I took in the marine biology major. It is also taught incredibly well by Chelsea Wood, who is a very cool person.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and Biology: Physiology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Doing research at Friday Harbor Labs where everyday felt like a new adventure

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

FISH 406 (Parasite Ecology): the class material was unique and exciting and leaves you with an endless number of wormy fun facts

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I’ll be working as a medical assistant at Lake Washington Sports and Spine while applying to medical school

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Spending time at the Friday Harbor Labs with my peers who are truly some of UW’s finest. I can’t imagine a better field experience.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Fisheries Ecology (FISH 312) was such a fun course with interesting content and the field trips were an added bonus!

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Quantitative Science

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Spending time at Friday Harbor Labs!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

MARBIO 488. It was such a great course that allowed for a lot of creativity and pursuit of individual curiosity. Working with other marine bio students in Friday Harbor was a great

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Looking for a job in the conservation management field! Hoping to do field work in the Pacific Northwest.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Friday Harbor Labs due to the tight nit community that was created.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Environmental Studies

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My best memory with the Marine Biology program is the time I have spent at Friday Harbor Labs taking Marine Subtidal Ecology and Marine Biology in the Field! Being on a gorgeous campus right on the water while getting to conduct research and hang out with my friends and professors was amazing. I never thought I’d be able to conduct research in the water through snorkel surveys and using the knowledge I have gained in all my foundational courses was very rewarding.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

My favorite class is FISH 250 with my FIG! I took this class in my very first quarter here at UW so my experience helped me determine that I want to to continue my studies at UW and stay within the Marine Biology program. Through this experience, I made many friendships and gained insight into the multiple areas of study within Marine Biology while getting my hands wet. I highly recommend this class and the FIG program to any incoming student!

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I will be continuing my studies at UW in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs! I am very excited for the opportunity to learn more about conservation policy and how it can be used to further protect and manage our marine ecosystems. With this interdisciplinary curriculum, I am hoping to gain a social science perspective and combine it with my marine science background to create large-scale equitable change.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Definitely the integrative research project (MARBIO 488) that began at Friday Harbor Labs and ended on the Seattle Main Campus. The whole trip is a memory that I look back upon fondly; the nights spent on the docks ‘night-lighting’ and the early mornings in the labs are something that I’m going to miss.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Aquatic Ecophysiology (FISH 270) was likely my favorite Marine Biology Core class because it felt as though it built upon the principles taught in Biology 180 and Biology 200 the most while having a focus that was primarily on marine life.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I currently work as an operator at Comanche Peak Nuclear Powerplant in Glen Rose, Texas. While Marine Biology will always be my passion, career opportunities can lead you to places you wouldn’t expect.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Quantitative Science

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Friday Harbor Labs, going out into the field and making the best friends I’ve made in the program

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Parasite ecology! It opened my eyes to a whole new world of ecology that I never thought about before. Dr. Wood loves what she does and that is evident in how she teaches the class

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I plan on taking a gap year to work, spending the summer working at the Seattle Aquarium with the youth volunteers. I then plan on applying to grad school to pursue a PhD in polar Arctic ecology.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My best memory with the Marine Biology program was the Early Fall Start program at Friday Harbor. It is such a unique experience to have a lot of fun with peers while also having the freedom to design and run experiments. It felt very applicable to careers and real world situations.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Parasite Ecology, it was an elective that met a major requirement. It was my favorite because it made me realize that I found parasites to be really fascinating and could see myself doing further research involving them.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I am currently at a Bio-Tech company as a Research Technician working on developing organ-on-chip models that have the potential to reduce the need for animal testing in the future.

Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and Aquatic & Fishery Sciences

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Friday Harbor Labs

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Fish 311 because it gives the strongest basal understanding of all fishes which few other classes do

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Work for Department of fish and wildlife and return for a PhD

Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and Oceanography

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My best experience was taking the introduction to Marine Biology course and getting to be taught by Jose Guzman and Marta Gomez Buckley who really helped me understand my passion and what I wanted to study. They helped me end up in the fish collection and on a research path I am very excited for!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Hard to choose! Chelsea Woods Parasite Ecology class was definitely a highlight, it completely changed the way I looked at the world! I also loved Biology of Fishes with Luke Tornabene because I love fish!

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I am going to graduate school at Howard University to study fish morphology!

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Mathematics

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Best memory is the Friday Harbor laboratories apprenticeship

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Favorite class was also the FHL apprenticeship. I have learned so much for that small period of time and felt really accomplished. I conducted my own research and was able to present it in front of so many people. I was able to experience what it was like to be in a research vessel on a sunny and rainy day. I have met really great scientist during my time there and also peers that are very passionate and talented.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Quantitative Science

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Being able to be a part of the zoobot program at FHL and being able to work with awesome professors!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

My favorite class has got to be FISH 406 which is Parasite Ecology. I did not know anything about parasites, but after that class, I now talk about parasites a lot. I have found a way to integrate parasites into all my papers.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

I will be working at the Seattle Aquarium as an animal care technician for the birds and mammals.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My time at Friday Harbor Labs was easily the best part of my university experience! I got to learn in a beautiful setting with fantastic professors and made some really great friends.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Arctic Studies

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

My best memories in the Marine Biology program have been my experiences up at Friday Harbor Labs. I have made lifelong friends and had such amazing learning opportunities every time I have been up to FHL!

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

My favorite class I took for the Marine Biology major was FHL 497: Ecology and Conservation of Marine Birds and Mammals. This course was by far one of the best learning experiences I had while at UW and gave me first hand research experience in the field I hope to pursue in the future.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

This summer I will be an intern for the Whale Museum’s Soundwatch Boater Education Program up on San Juan Island. Following the internship I plan to take some time off before eventually pursuing a graduate degree studying marine mammals.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Oceanography

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Being called a Marine biologist for the first time by Prof. Luke Tornabene

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

BIO311 Biology of Fish. It was my first class I felt I was becoming a marine scientist instead of just studying to become one.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

To gain research experience and hopefully work for the state or county for awhile before coming back for grad school.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What is your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Dan Ovando’s FISH 323 class really stuck with me – not just him as an awesome professor, but also – more specifically – this day we played Fishbanks in class – a game that broke the class into teams to simulate different fishing fleets… and painfully taught us the repercussions of overfishing. By the end of the game, we killed everything, were thousands of dollars in debt, and a package of Top Ramen was worth more than an entire fleet of boats. Pretty awesome.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Fish 311 – it’s where I discovered that, yes, fish are actually amazing and I want to pursue a career involving them (no offense to marine mammals, but… you know.) It’s where I met Luke! I’m extremely grateful for all that he’s done for me.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

First – I’m presenting at the ASIH Conference in July, and then – who knows! I plan on continuing work in Luke Tornabene’s lab/with Katherine and the Fish Collection, while exploring some intership opportunities. Hopefully (fingers crossed) I’ll find some shark-related work in Washington that I can pursue. 🙂

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Friday Harbor Labs

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Marbio 488

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Who knows!?

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Going to FHL and digging for clams at 3:30 am in False Bay for my research project.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Parasite Ecology – Chelsea Wood is the best!

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Going to University of Miami for a Master’s in marine biology.

Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and Oceanography

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

The ZooBot program at FHL really allowed me to connect with my fellow marine bio peers.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

ZooBot because of the unique and resourceful information that I learned.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Taking a gap year to get more field experience, and then applying for graduate school.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology, Minor in Quantitative Science

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

Getting handful of fish from trawling in Puget Sound field trip

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

Fisheries Ecology, for amazing field trips

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Next stop, Grad school. Then, to the seas.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology

What are your current plans post-graduation?

My current plan post-graduation is to move back to Oahu, HI and work as a shark safety diver. I will continue to further my scuba diving education until I am a certified PADI master diver.

Bachelor of Science, Majors in Marine Biology and Oceanography

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

The “Fish Class” at FHL in summer of 2020.

Bachelor of Science, Major in Marine Biology; Bachelor of Arts, Major in Mathematics; Minors in Quantitative Science and Chemistry

What was your best memory or experience with the Marine Biology program?

I took FISH 250 over the summer 2019. It was a smaller class where we all got to know each other, and Jose, an amazing professor. Not only was Joe (the marine bio advisor) in the class, but I dragged my boyfriend into it too even though he is in a completely different major. He had a ton of fun learning about what i’m passionate about.

Favorite class you took for the Marine Biology major and why?

My favorite class I took in the marine biology major was FISH 323 with Tim Essington. This class gave me an introduction to conservation and management and made me think about fisheries in a way I had never thought of them before. It expanded my thinking and even changed the course of the research and career I wanted to pursue. From there, I took several more fisheries population modeling classes that taught me so much about the direction I wanted to go in the field.

What are your current plans post-graduation?

Starting in September, I will be working towards my Masters of data science degree. I hope to work on data science skills I can then apply to ecology after getting my masters degree. Also, since the program I am going to do is online, I will be completing it while traveling the world with my boyfriend. We will be going to Chile, Argentina, Thailand, and hopefully all over Europe.