MES Student & Alumni Profiles

Current Students

• Tim Benedict, 2nd Year, Evergreen Alum, Community Based Conservation
• Robert Coleman, 1st Year, Energy, Policy, & Economics
• Dianne Dochow, 1st Year, Water Issues, Policy, & Environmental Education
• Erin Hanlon, 2nd Year MES/MPA, Policy & Natural Resource Management, Evergreen no longer offers the MES/MPA Joint Degree
  
• Evan Hayduk, 2nd Year, Stormwater Management
• Heather Kowalewski, 2nd Year, Environmental Education & Community Food Security
• Mercy Kariuki-McGee, 4th Year, Community Development, Film, & Sustainable Agriculture
• Shelby Proie, 1st Year, Marine Studies & Conservation
• Matthew Ritter, 2nd Year, Policy & Conservation Biology
• Marisa Whisman, 2nd Year, Plant Ecology

Alumni

• Patricia Bateman, MES 2011, Marine Studies
• Birdie Davenport, MES 1995, Environmental History & Conservation
• Barbara J. Moeller, MES 2010, Natural Resource Management
• Sarah Boyle, MES 2009, Ecology
• Lucienne Guyot, MES 2009, Green Building & Environmental Education
• Su-Miao Lai, MES 2009, Environmental Health & Biostatistics
• Laura Todis, MES 2009, Environmental Education
• Kathleen Saul, MES 2009, Nuclear Power & Energy Issues
• Adrian Wolf, MES 2009, Natural Resource Management & Forest Ecology
• Kelly Cunningham, MES/MPA 2008, Ecology & Policy,  Evergreen no longer offers the MES/MPA Joint Degree
• Kat Kelly, MES 2008, Interdisciplinary
• Shawna McGarry, MES 2007, Community Development & Policy
• Mariam Ubilava, MES 2007, Climate Change
• Alla Sushko, MES 2006, Policy, Soil Pollution, & Environmental Education
• Mathew Nelson, MES 2005, Community Development & Natural Resource Management
• Brian Missildine, MES 2005, Natural Resource Management
• Joanna L. Runnells, MES 2005, Climate Change & Geoscience
• Eric Delvin, MES 2003, Political Ecology & Conservation
• Tara Galuska, MES 2001, Natural Resource Management
• Debora Holmes, MES 2001, Environmental Journalism, Invasive Species, & Greenways
• Eric Bergman, MES 1997, Policy & Land Use Planning

Tim Benedict, 2nd Year, Evergreen Alum, Community Based Conservation

I’ve been looking forward to these two years in the MES program for over a decade now. I graduated from Evergreen in 1999 and pursued work in indigenous advocacy, international conservation, habitat restoration, education, green-building and conflict resolution.  As I began to see the connections between my varied interests, I set my sights on returning to Evergreen so I could synthesize my experiences and refine my approach to addressing environmental issues. After all, this is the institution that had the audacity to open my mind to the myriad of issues affecting our planet so they ought to help me sort it all out!

Each job I have had, whether it was on the Navajo Nation, along Brazil’s western frontier, in a prison classroom or back in West Africa where I grew up, was made possible by the courage and inquisition instilled in me at Evergreen.  Inspired by the innovative work of Evergreen faculty and many fellow students, I’ve eagerly accepted challenging work assignments.  

As we can only imagine the environmental and social challenges that await us, it’s imperative that we use our creativity, compassion and strengths to create innovative collaborations and solutions.  Our various approaches to these challenges are unique alloys forged by our personal interests, skills, knowledge and imagination - the tools that help us build upon our previous experiences.  Through the MES program I’ll strive to pull from my past to create a new future.  In particular, I will be pursuing my interests in community-based conservation efforts and conflict resolution in the local and international arenas.

First off, I’ll be studying rural conservation programs and creating one of my own for my family’s land in Illinois. I see it as a great privilege to be back here on campus and I hope fellow classmates do too and challenge me along the way.

Robert Coleman, 1st Year, Energy, Policy, & Economics

What do you hope to gain from the MES program?
Greater insight into the policies governing our environment and the steps to enacting, reviewing, and changing those policies. Also, a methodology for community transition programs.

Where are you from?
Eagle, MI

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?
The school itself and an overwhelming need for change. Evergreen was one of few schools that offered the environmental program I was looking for.

What is your previous education and work experience prior to entering the MES Program?
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature (Michigan State University) 15 credits short of a Bachelor of Science - Environmental Engineering (Michigan State University) 5 years in the utility and energy management disciplines

What are your areas of interest in the MES program?
Environmental politics, energy transition strategies, as well as re-localization economics

What activities do you enjoy outside of school and work?
Avid reader, runner, and animal lover. I love to travel and enjoy nights out with friends.

What do you hope to gain from the MES program?
Greater insight into the policies governing our environment and the steps to enacting, reviewing, and changing those policies. Also, a methodology for community transition programs.

What is your “dream occupation”? What do you see yourself doing after the MES program?
My dream job would involve working for a domestic or international energy transition organization.

Who has been an inspirational individual in your life?
Carl Sagan and Lynda Boomer (my former boss)

And anything super interesting you think prospective and currents students should know about you!
They should ask to find out. ;)

Dianne Dochow, 1st Year, Water Issues, Policy, & Environmental Education

Where are you from?

Enumclaw, Washington

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?

After researching several environment-centered graduate programs, the Master of Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College was by far my first choice.  Along with an excellent reputation and accomplished faculty, the interdisciplinary curriculum encourages students to form connections across a variety of interests.  The ability to explore and understand issues from different perspectives provides greater depth in the learning process.  In addition, it is a key component in the collaborative efforts that are essential to developing functional solutions to the complex environmental challenges we face.  I look forward to taking my academic journey and environmental advocacy activities to the next level in the MES program at Evergreen.

What is your previous education and work experience prior to entering the MES Program?

Working as a civil engineering designer and construction inspector, stormwater and wastewater treatment systems were the projects I enjoyed the most.  In the course of my duties, I observed many opportunities to improve environmental stewardship, especially with regard to water sustainability, and had a strong desire to be engaged in developing solutions.

The Evergreen State College Tacoma is my alma mater for a BA focused on Environmental Studies.  I also earned an AS degree in Design Drafting Technology and an AA in Business Management/Marketing at Green River Community College.  As an undergraduate student, I served internships with the State of Washington Department of Ecology Water Resources Program and the nonprofit organization Citizens for a Healthy Bay.

What are your areas of interest in the MES program?

Water Sustainability, Environmental Policy and Environmental Education.

Erin Hanlon, 2nd Year, Policy & Water Issues, Policy, & Environmental Education

I am a current graduate student in the Master of Environmental Studies and Master of Public Administration programs at Evergreen. In 2006, I completed my undergraduate degree in international environmental studies at the University of Washington. As an undergraduate, I studied abroad extensively in Costa Rica, learning about tropical ecosystems, participatory research, and the political challenges of natural resource management. I was awarded a Mary Gates Leadership Grant for my thesis project, Environmental Education in Rural Costa Rica, where I designed and implemented an environmental studies curriculum for elementary and high school students in the rural community I had studied in. My experiences abroad sparked my interest in ecological conservation, and environmental policy.

I chose Evergreen to complete my graduate studies because of the opportunity to focus on environmental studies and public policy through the joint program, the proximity of the campus to the State Capital, and an opportunity to work on campus with College Advancement as our prospect researcher. As a graduate student, I am interested in marine resource management, ecological restoration, land use planning, and environmental policy. In the future, I hope to work in the public or non-profit sector and employ the skills I have gained in the MES & MPA programs to bridge the gap between science, policy and political participation.

Evan Hayduk, 2nd Year, Stormwater Management

In Winter quarter 2011, I completed a stormwater project on campus made possible by the Cargill Sustainability Fellowship. I made the project interdisciplinary to align with my studies in MES. This project used Geographical Information System (GIS) software to map the stormwater system at Evergreen. The layers of data that I created are now available on a public server at Evergreen and the final map will become part of the Evergreen Stormwater Management Plan.

Additionally, I performed water quality monitoring at two major stormwater outfalls on campus through fecal coliform (FC) measurments and was involved with outreach on campus. I provided input about informational brochures for on campus students and. I also went through the process of presenting to the Campus Land Use Committee (CLUC) about installing pet waste control signs at campus trailheads in an attempt to limit pet waste contamination. 

My project was enhanced through work done with fellow MES student Tim Benedict and Fungi Perfecti to test the ability of fungi mycelium to remove FC from water. We completed tests of passing sample water though woodchips inoculated with oyster mushroom spores and compared the results to base levels of FC from one of the stormwater outfalls and a control of plain wood chips. The results were indeed promising, and Fungi Perfecti was very happy that we were able to complete tests of their technology in a lab environment.

Heather Kowalewski, 2nd Year, Environmental Education & Community Food Security

I grew up in Dover, Arkansas, a typical small town where I spent my free time getting into trouble and exploring the Ozark Mountains. In my first years of college I knew little of the environmental movement, however that all changed one day at a viewing of An Inconvenient Truth.  The light came on: we were doing WHAT to our world!!! That was it. I had to do something.

Over the next years I led the campus environmental coalition; became involved in a United Nations program centered on climate change awareness; immersed myself in my environmental biology curriculum; became involved in biofuel research projects; and spent my summers pursuing marine studies; and served an AmeriCorps position organizing youth programs based on sustainable agriculture.

My initial motivations were based on protecting the environment, but I now believe that a true environmental movement involves justice on all levels: ecological, social, cultural, economic. I feel these topics cannot be separated from one another. The MES program at Evergreen recognizes these interconnections and for me symbolizes a goal of creating a sustainable human society that works in harmony with natural and built environments. I believe only through the formation and support of sustainable community components will we ultimately evolve into a sustainable world.  

The MES program will allow me to push the boundaries while simultaneously giving me the support to find practical applications for my ideas. Already I have gotten to do this through the creation of an independent learning contract in which a fellow MES classmate and I visited various businesses and organizations involved in food security in the region ranging from small farms to food banks to extension agencies. Additionally I just completed an internship aboard a 133 ft tallship, the Adventuress, where I was immersed in experiential education. My current interests include sustainable agriculture models, community food security, environmental education, and community organizing and I can't wait to see how I can combine these as I continue with the MES program. 

Mercy Kariuki-McGee, 4th Year, Community Development, Film, & Sustainable Agriculture

I choose to be part of the MES program at Evergreen because it appealed to me on a few different levels. I wanted to be part of a program where the principles of sustainable living, ideals which are very much a part of my core beliefs, are respected and shared. I also want to conduct project-based research in which I may further develop my skills as a documentary filmmaker. Yet beyond this, I believe that being a part of the MES program may allow me the chance to be hands-on in my learning in ways that directly affect attainable, positive change. Evergreen has given me an opportunity to focus on what I am passionate about while being a part of a community that strives very hard to be inclusive.

Coming from Kenya, I have always been fascinated by the way we have survived in Africa in ways that are interconnected with our natural environment - through what is now called sustainable living. During my early school years, holidays were spent in the farm with my parents tilling the land, tending the animals, harvesting the crops, and picking coffee beans. My parents stressed the importance of good land development on the farm, preventing soil erosion, and boosting crop production. Land in the village had to be productive in order for people to simply survive. Those who chose sustainable agricultural practices, and passed their wisdom on to their children when land was divided, still manage to realize the benefits of our small-farm-based way of life, even to this day. However, the pressures to develop cash-crop agriculture and use practices that cannot be sustained throughout the generations have meant that many in the area where I grew up are faced with food shortages and a lack of knowledge as to what has been traditionally important in land use. Sustainable, environmentally sound farming has been critical in creating value for family land.

During the last four years, I have been studying film and culture here at Evergreen. My focus was to document and understand how cultural values are so much a part of who we are. I have come to realize how cultural behaviors and celebrations tie in with seasonal changes and bring environmental awareness to any community. I feel that it is now my goal to move forward and continue my work in culture and environmental issues that pertain to my upbringing in Kenya. My goal is to research and implement sustainable living projects in the community that I grew up in. I want to research how the community is using land and find out who is succeeding and who is failing in small-scale farming. I want to understand what environmentally sound methods are currently yielding the most success. I want to find out what are the political and economic barriers facing those who survive on the land.

My two main objectives are to be extremely hands-on in my research and create a film documentary of all that I, and those I partner with, undertake. I wish to have a hand in developing projects that benefit those who live off the land. I feel I must also use my skill as a filmmaker to record what is being done to rediscover sustainable agriculture in Kenya.

Matthew Ritter, 2nd Year, Policy & Conservation Biology

Where are you from?
Phoenix, AZ

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?
The location and the interdisciplinary approach. I wanted more of the social aspects regarding the environment.

What is your previous education and work experience prior to entering the MES Program?
I have a BA from Arizona State University in Conservation Biology and I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, SA where I managed the reserve El Angel.

What are your areas of interest in the MES program?
I have gone the policy route.

What activities do you enjoy outside of school and work?
Well I value my social life, so I tend to go out more than most. I enjoy painting, hiking, whatever...

What is your “dream occupation”? What do you see yourself doing after the MES program?
I am going to move to Washington DC and hopefully work in policy for the government or nonprofit. My dream is to travel the world and fund environmental projects.

What has been your favorite MES course? Why?
Sustainable forestry was the best course because I learned how to read a forest. Also, Richard Bigley is so passionate about his job that it reflects in his lectures. It's inspiring.

What internships, independent learning contracts, or projects have you done while in MES?
I was an intern with the National Wildlife Foundation working on community development projects.

Do you work on or off campus? If yes, where?
I work here at Student Accounts.

What ideas do you have for your thesis topic?
I will be reviewing Species Recovery Plans and looking at discrepancies with spending. Also, I will be looking at the quality of work provided to each recovery plan and determine is costs has anything to do with success.

How has MES influenced how you view the world around you?
Well, I think it has made me think more broadly.

Marisa Whisman, 2nd Year, Plant Ecology

Where are you from?
Olympia, WA

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?
Favorable experiences and staff during my Evergreen undergraduate studies; also, location and affordable tuition

What is your previous education and work experience prior to entering the MES Program?
BS in plant ecology at Evergreen; I have worked as a Biological Science Technician (mostly plants, some wildlife research) for National Park Service, NOAA and DNR since since my last graduation

What are your areas of interest in the MES program?
Plant Ecology; minor interest or pursuit in aquatic ecology

What activities do you enjoy outside of school and work?
Hiking, cross country skiing, water activities, personal fitness, music and entertainment

What is your “dream occupation”? What do you see yourself doing after the MES program?
Ecological plant research; "botanizing" to identify and protect rare plant associations; ecological restoration; since beginning the MES Program, I have developed an interest in phytoremediation

Who has been an inspirational individual in your life?
Nalini Nadkarni, former Evergreen faculty

What has been your favorite MES course? Why?
The Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms; this course provides a greater focus on science, analysis of technical writing and many important components needed for students seeking an environmental science degree and career

What internships, independent learning contracts, or projects have you done while in MES?
I did an Independent Learning Contract in order to meet a prerequisite requirement - microeconomics, with Peter Dorman as the instructor

Do you work on or off campus? If yes, where?
Yes. Olympic National Park, Natural Resource Management Office

What ideas do you have for your thesis topic?
I am currently working on the Elwha Dam removal restoration at Olympic National Park; I plan to conduct a study that determines which native shrubs, of the seed we are collecting and propagating, can survive in the residual fine sediment once the dams come down this fall

What advice would you give future MES students?
If you wish to pursue a career and degree in the ecological sciences, it is probably better to obtain at least a minor amount of environmnental work experience prior to entry into the MES Program

Shelby Proie, 1st Year, Marine Studies & Conservation

What do you hope to gain from the MES program?
A well rounded education with a focus on my thesis work which would include some in-depth Southern Resident Orca research.

Where are you from?
Key West, Florida

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?
Flexibility with thesis choice and location.

What is your previous education and work experience prior to entering the MES Program?
Environmental Science B.S. with a focus on marine biology from Nova Southeastern University and I worked with The Florida Keys Wild Dolphin Alliance identifying and cataloging Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins along with The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a fisheries biologist.

What are your areas of interest in the MES program?
I prefer marine studies, but am interested in a well rounded education in conservation and preservation as a whole.

What activities do you enjoy outside of school and work?
I am very active in the anti-cetacean captivity front and have been working with Orca Network, Earth Island Institute's "Save Japan Dolphins" and The Wild Dolphin Foundation for over four years now protesting and educating the public on the perils of keeping cetaceans in captivity. I also enjoy kayaking, running, hiking and diving.

What is your “dream occupation”? What do you see yourself doing after the MES program?
After completion of the MES program I expect to continue my studies at The University of British Columbia where I wish to pursue my PhD and continue researching the local Orca populations. My dream job after my studies are finished would be to work with Ken Balcomb at The Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island.

Who has been an inspirational individual in your life?
Richard O'Barry has been an exceptionally inspirational individual in my life. From working with him on numerous campaigns in Florida I've learned countless things that cannot be taught in a classroom. Ric has gone from being a dolphin trainer in the 60's to one of the most respected activists in the world. With his documentary "The Cove" he let the world know about the dolphin slaughters going on in Japan and how the cetacean captivity industry around the world funds these atrocities.

And anything super interesting you think prospective and currents students should know about you!
The most important goal for me to accomplish from these graduate studies it to eventually gain enough information to publish a journal proving that wild resident Orcas have lower levels of stress hormones (i.e. cortisol) than their captive counterparts, and the higher levels of stress hormones in captives directly correlates to their lower life spans in captivity. From this information I would like to be a leader on the forefront of making it illegal to keep cetaceans in captivity for entertainment purposes in the United States. All of my work is for Lolita, a captive Orca living at the Miami Seaquarium who was captured in 1970 off the coast of Whidbey Island and has been living in the United States' smallest Orca tank without a companion since 1980. Her mother is now the matriarch of the Southern Resident's L-pod.

Patricia Bateman, MES 2011, Marine Studies

Attending graduate school was never something I thought of as a maybe, it was always something I was set on doing. The decision of what to do and where to go was something that took a bit more time. I received my B.S. in Community Health from Western Washington University in 2005, and really enjoyed learning about the field of human health and health education, but always found myself more drawn to the aspects of environmental health. After interning full time for a quarter with the Health Promotion program at Naval Hospital Bremerton, I realized the field wasn't quite for me.

During the summers of my undergraduate career I had worked as an intern for the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, a regional fisheries enhancement group based out of Belfair, WA. During this time I gained experience in many aspects of the environmental field- stream surveys, beach seines, GPS work, macroinvertabrate studies, environmental education, and much more. I had always loved this work, and decided I wanted to do more. After I finished college I spent almost a year as an AmeriCorps volunteer for the City of Bellingham Parks Department, working to integrate a new park and historical site into the current volunteer program, and also to restore the native habitat of the site. Following my AmeriCorps term I worked for a large commercial fishing business helping to do catch reports to state and tribal governments, and also some small scale logistics work. This work gave me a valuable look into the policies and politics involved in environmental work, and gave me the push I needed to learn more.

All of the things pooled together and drew me to Evergreen. I wanted to learn in an environment that gave me options to focus on a wide variety of environmental aspects, and that valued giving more than the scientific side of environmental problems. I know it was the right decision for me. I value what I have learned from both the faculty and my fellow students during my time here.

Birdie Davenport, MES 1995, Environmental History & Conservation

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?
I wanted to pursue a professional environmental career path; I had friends that were in the MES program and benefited greatly from the program.

Who has been an inspirational individual in your life?
Two people influenced me the most - Jan Henderson, who taught Forest Ecology and later hired me to work for him; and Ralph Murphy, who terrorized me into doing good work and thinking a little bigger.

How has MES influenced how you view the world around you?
The program has helped me look at environmental and conservation challenges with a wider world view than I had previously. The ecological training cracked the door on deeper understanding of the natural world that I've entered and found my passion for restoration and other work.

What advice would you give future MES students?
Make sure you are ready for the tougher courses - if you need to enhance some math skills, do it first, before you are floundering through statistics or hydrology or whatever the new mind cracking course is. Read some of the books and take notes before each core program so you can have a little buffer before the onslaught of reading.

What was your thesis topic?
Environmental History of Grass Lake, Olympia Wa

Where have you done and/or where have you worked since graduating from the MES program?
I started working for the Department of Natural Resources' Natural Areas Program in 1992. I've been with the program in various capacities to this date.

What skills and knowledge did you gain from MES?
Analytical skills - understanding and interpreting data and high level research papers; a good overview of the ecology of salmon, wetlands, forests, and water. Understanding environmental risk, the basics of natural resource economics, and laws and regulations. I became more confident speaking, and writing professional work.

How has having a MES degree helped you since graduating?
The MES degree was essential in qualifying for my current position. The knowledge has also formed a solid base for professional development in this position. (And I've been able to help many Evergreen undergraduates and graduate students in turn.)

And anything super interesting you think prospective and currents students should know about you!
We have excellent opportunites for thesis work and group projects on natural areas, from planning to biological inventory to restoration design. You must be self sufficient and self starting, and you will benefit from my 19 years of experience in this field.

Barbara J. Moeller, MES 2010, Natural Resource Management & Wildlife Biology

As the Puyallup Tribe of Indians wildlife biologist for the last four years, my primary task is managing big game populations within the Tribe's treaty protected hunting area (Medicine Creek Treaty). My main focus has therefore been on conducting elk research. Since March 2003, I have received just under $1,000,000 in competitive grants through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs grants to fund our wildlife program, and to do this research.

I use the data collected to make annual big game hunting regulation recommendations to the Puyallup Tribal Hunting Commission, other Medicine Creek Treaty Tribal Hunting Commissions, and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). I also represent the Tribe in co-management activities on policy and technical issues with WDFW within the Medicine Creek Treaty area, which, in itself proves to be extremely challenging. Tribal hunters continue to encounter a wide range of obstacles while attempting to exercise their treaty protected right to hunt.

The research conducted has focused on the South Rainier Elk herd. This elk herd is the main stock of elk harvested by the Tribe. The data I am collecting ranges from identifying migration routes and timing of migration to identifying critical summer and winter range, making annual mortality/survival estimates, and developing a computer model to estimate elk abundance. Using the winter range data, we identified critical wintering habitat and were able to use grant funds to acquire over 40 acres of such habitat for elk conservation in perpetuity. As an extension of that grant, we hope to be purchasing another 40 acres of land for elk conservation. We are also in the process of conducting a partnership project with Gifford Pinchot National Forest to improve elk forage on the winter range. This work will also be funded via a recent grant award. As a part of this work, I have planned and led 3 elk captures to deploy both VHF radio-collars and GPS collars. I also coordinate and conduct aerial surveys, many of them with WDFW and Mount Rainier National Park Service.

My undergraduate studies were completed in the University of Minnesota's Program for Individualized Learning (PIL) where I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies, with a minor focus on American Indian Studies.

I have worked in the field of natural resources for organizations ranging from various levels of government to the private sector and the commercial fishing industry. Some of the work has included years of walking streams and rafting rivers speciating, counting, and collecting biological samples of salmon and trout throughout western Washington. Culturally rich work experiences such as a foreign fisheries observer for National Marine Fisheries Service on a Korean ship in the Bering Sea and Soviet ship off the Coast of Oregon have been satisfying on many levels. Challenging bureaucratic positions I've endured include a Natural Resources Coordinator position for a City in Minnesota and regulatory permitting work for a Watershed District. My experience beach seining for salmon in waters surrounding Kodiak Island also contributed to different aspects of relating to the natural resource.

I am also interested in studying the human dimension aspect of wildlife management. I am interested in exploring ideas on how we can coexist with the wildlife around us, meet most people's needs, and maintain an acceptable level of responsible stewardship. Other topics of interest include the St. Helens herd and the newly adopted feeding program, and elk relocation projects to supplement other herds that have not been managed to sustain themselves. I am interested in taking a proactive approach to managing the South Rainier herd before development of the winter range has more value to local regulators than the value of the local wildlife.

The additional knowledge I gained from the courses I completed through the MES program help me in my current position as a wildlife manager for the Tribe, and potentially prepare me for further advancement in my career in the stewardship of natural resources.

Sarah Boyle, MES 2009, Ecology

I was attracted to Evergreen because I wanted to pursue an education in environmental studies that would expose me to both historical and contemporary issues, while encouraging me to expand on new ideas as they formed. I had a history of environmental activism and volunteering, but was fully self-taught and was looking to continue my education with progressive, like-minded people.

Evergreen allows its students an open forum to discuss material, and is strengthened by its focus on equal participation and individual excellence. The MES program provides a solid background of ecology, economics, and culture and explores how these facets affect the development - present and future - of societies, locally and worldwide.

Evergreen has opened doors for me. I quickly became study partners and friends with my MES classmates and my participation in the student government introduced me to world recognized environmentalists. I secured a job with the Dept. of Ecology to implement oil spill response equipment in coastal communities. And I have found Olympia to be a unique community of forward-thinking folks who care about community and the environment. The MES program will benefit individuals who are open minded, can process ideas quickly and formulate original thoughts, and are flexible and adaptable within a loose, changing framework.

Lucienne Guyot, MES 2009, Green Building & Environmental Education

Lucienne Guyot has spent about 9 years of her life living in Olympia; the rest of her life she lived in Seattle and areas of Pierce County. Years after a brief stint at the Seattle Art Institute, Lucienne attended several community colleges, including the Seattle Community College District, Pierce and Tacoma Community Colleges. Finally, she received her undergraduate degree in ecology and conservation at the University of Washington 's Program on the Environment. She chose The Evergreen State College Master's Program for the freedom to create a unique thesis and because it is well situated in Olympia to contend with the important environmental issues that we all face. Lucienne also did not want to move from beautiful western Washington .

Lucienne was co-coordinator of the Masters in Environmental Studies Graduate Student Association, which puts on Evergreen's annual Rachel Carson Forum, a long-time community event with a speaker and a cultural component. Lucienne was one of two Graduate Research Assistants at the Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education with Jean MacGregor on the ongoing Sustainability Across the Curriculum project. She occasionally volunteers for Seattle Audubon. Lucienne is on the Steering Committee for the Environmental Education Association of Washington's Thurston and Mason E3 ( environment, economy and education) Summit, a local environmental education action plan that will, along with other regional plans in the state, inform a statewide plan. Lucienne's thesis work focused on sustainable/green building and the LEED certification standards. She has traveled to 12 different countries, enjoys baking, cooking and dancing. After all the rigors of graduate school, she hopes to continue martial arts training and one day earn her black belt in the soft style Tai-Chi-Chuan-Fa, a form of Kung Fu.

Su-Miao Lai, MES 2009, Environmental Health & Biostatistics

When I was a high school student, I dreamed of becoming a scientist. Things went very well just before I graduated from college. I was going to enter graduate school in mathematics and do numerical analysis with my professor. However, something happened to my family and I decided to study one more year to get teacher certification instead of several years of graduate school. After that, I went back my hometown and became a math teacher to support my family.

Several years later, I felt like I wanted more of a challenge, even though I was a very successful teacher and a chairperson of the math department, which has 32 math teachers in my school. I decided to resign and moved to America , looking for more possibilities in my life. I obtained the Washington High School Math Teacher Certification in the summer of 2006. I went to several schools for interviews. After understanding the American educational system and disciplines, I felt that I wasn't very comfortable teaching in America . Therefore, I decided to obtain further education.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do and what I was capable of when I was admitted to MES. But I found I quickly enjoyed the program. The interdisciplinary learning not only enriched my knowledge but also let me see what I can do with my mathematical and statistical background. Therefore, in my study of MES, my interests focused on environmental health and biostatistics.

I will always remember how impressed I was in the orientation meeting because the faculty members told us "we are here for you and never feel you're bothering us. You're welcome to talk to us whenever you want or need." That was the first time I've felt so important as a student. From then on, I fell in love with MES at The Evergreen State College.

Kathleen Saul, MES 2009, Nuclear Power & Energy Issues

What drew you to the MES program at The Evergreen State College?
The study of the environment and environmental problems from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Who has been an inspirational individual in your life?
Prior to Evergreen: A friend of Martin Luther King I met during an "urban plunge" experience in St. Louis MO during my college years. He told us all that we didn't need to work in the ghetto or give up everything in our lives to have an impact on people. (We can't all be Dr. King.) We should do whatever we chose as a profession or path in life to our very best ability and that would be enough. At Evergreen: Dr. John Perkins, my main thesis reader and colleague and good friend. He opened my eyes to the importance of energy in the broader scheme of environmental problems during our trip to Chernobyl, Ukraine. That trip changed the direction of my studies in MES, and now, has influenced my choice of PhD programs.

How has MES influenced how you view the world around you?
Nothing is as simple as it looks on the surface! I am much more aware of different aspects of my world and more concerned about how little some people care about their impact on that world. That in turn fires my passion to make a difference, to have an effect, to influence peoplet to make changes.

What advice would you give future MES students?
Study hard and learn as much as you can from your faculty and fellow students. The result will be very personally rewarding. Also, dare to try something new--take a class in a subject you had never before considered. You might be surprised how it inspires you. Don't expect the faculty to put all the pieces together for you. Use your own brains and experiences to make the connections.

What was your thesis topic?
The reasons for the interest in building new nuclear power plants in the US in the 2000s.

Where have you done and/or where have you worked since graduating from the MES program?
Adjunct/Visiting/Temporary Faculty: The Evergreen State College Now in a PhD program at the University of Delaware, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy.

What skills and knowledge did you gain from MES?
An awareness that environmental issues are at the same time political issues, economic issues, business issues, social issues, and technological issues. At any given time, one or the other may dominate, but all influence each other. 

How has having a MES degree helped you since graduating?
The degree took my life in an entirely new direction, but one that actually incorporated many of the different avenues I had pursued previously. The program and the degree brought it all together for me. 

And anything super interesting you think prospective and currents students should know about you!
You can start over in a new career and can pursue advanced degrees at any age if you set your mind ot it!

Laura Todis, MES 2009, Environmental Education

Last year, I realized I had come to the point where I was ready for graduate school. I had been working for several years as an aide and substitute teacher at a French Immersion school in Portland-frequently taking on middle school science classes. My academic and personal experiences had encouraged several of my interests, and I realized they were all related to the field of environmental studies. I was ready to find a way to bring them together, and get away from middle schoolers.

Environmental education had appealed to me since I'd worked on a project with the National Park service of Costa Rica, evaluating the efficacy of their environmental education program near a major park (School for Field Studies). Environmental advocacy was also important to me, coming from a background working with old growth forest protection groups, near my hometown, Eugene, Oregon. Spending time in the forest, and traveling widely, had also encouraged my fascination with natural sciences in a variety of ecosystems. Further, I was dedicated to questions of social justice, on both a local and international scale, and had experience working with a variety of activist organizations. Finally, as both an anthropology and environmental studies major (Tufts University, Boston), I was fascinated by the relationship between people and the natural environment, and wanted to understand the politics and complexities of the connection better. I began to look for a graduate program that would help me explore the field of environmental studies from all of these angles, but also encourage me to focus my interests, and find out where I could go with them. I wanted to build skills that would help me become effective in making positive changes around me.

I was grateful to have been awarded the Sara Bilezikian memorial fellowship, which helped me tremendously to get through my education at Evergreen. I'm encouraged that there is a fellowship designed to support people with an interest in social and environmental advocacy and activism, at Evergreen. Sara was someone I knew of as an inspiration to her community of friends and activists. It is an honor to pursue my education with a fellowship in her name.

Adrian Wolf, MES 2009, Natural Resource Management & Forest Ecology

Adrian Wolf is currently a graduate student in the Masters in Environmental Studies program at The Evergreen State College. He received his undergraduate degree in Environmental Analysis and Design/Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine (1993). He has over 10 years of experience in wildlife and botanical surveys, working for the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and an Environmental Consulting Firm in Southern California. He has co-authored more than 10 publications in professional journals in the areas of Botany, Ornithology and Restoration Ecology. He became impassioned about forest canopies after assisting in a radio telemetry and fruit dispersal study of Ramphastos toucans in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. Upon his return from South America in 2003, he relocated to Washington State, enrolled in the MES program, and immediately established a working relationship with renowned forest canopy ecologist, Dr. Nalini Nadkarni (his thesis chair), and The International Canopy Network (ICAN). Dr. Steve Herman (retired ornithology professor, Evergreen) and Dr. David Shaw (forest health specialist, OSU) are his other committee members. Adrian is presently completing his thesis entitled: Bird use of Epiphytic Resources in an Old-Growth Douglas-fir forest of the Pacific Northwest. He spent over 60 hours observing and recording foraging activity and behavior of forest birds while seated in the forest canopy (approximately 100 feet above the ground). He used arborist, mountain climbing, and caving techniques to access the forest canopy to quantify the importance of epiphytic resources for the bird community associated with these old growth forests. This has never been done before in the great old growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. Adrian was able to secure student research grant rewards for a total amount of $2,900 from three agencies which included The Northwestern Scientific Association, Bergstrom Memorial Reward (AOU), and Studebaker Fellowship (Evergreen). With these funds, Adrian hired a research assistant/ornithologist to assist with his foraging study, conduct point counts and data collection. He hopes to shed light on the importance of forest canopy epiphytes for the bird community. Since the ecological interactions between canopy birds and epiphytes in the Pacific Northwest are unknown, our ability to manage lands to promote biodiversity in the Pacific Northwest is limited without a thorough understanding of these ecological interactions.

Kelly Cunningham, MES/MPA 2008, Ecology & Policy

I enrolled in the MES program in the fall of '04 with a desire to change careers. My intent was to utilize my experience as a public manager coupled with the academic foundation provided by the MES degree to develop/implement public policy and bring stakeholders together for the purpose of conserving freshwater ecosystems and ensuring biodiversity for future generations.

With almost a decade of public management and social policy experience, and a limited science background, I was more than a bit nervous while attending my initial MES lecture. A great deal of time had passed since receiving my undergraduate degree and I questioned my abilities and Evergreen as my institution of choice.

During the spring of 2006 Evergreen announced the MES/MPA joint degree program. At the time of the announcement I had planned on graduating the following spring. Taking on the additional requirements meant three things:

• I would not graduate until the spring of 2008
• There would be a lot more work involved
• And, most importantly, I would be exposed to additional opportunities to learn and grow

For me, the decision was easy. The joint degree program would allow me to combine the MES curriculum and my passion for the environment with the MPA program and my work experience as a public administrator. I am amazed at the change that has taken place within me as I went through the MES program. I have benefited greatly from Evergreen's unique approach that emphasizes collaborative learning. As a result of the joint MES/MPA program, I have a firm understanding of the challenges facing our environment and the roles science, politics, and economics play in forming environmental policy. My initial fears have been replaced by confidence and anticipation. I view the decision to enroll at Evergreen as one of the best decisions I have ever made. The Joint MES/MPA program has provided an academic foundation that will assist me in reaching my goals.

Kat Kelly, MES 2008, Interdisciplinary

One of the reasons I choose Evergreen to complete my bachelor's degree and why I choose Evergreen for my Masters is that the community offers us choices. We are not graded on a curve. I like this. I like the fact that taking away the bell curve, taking away that odd idea of academic competition allows us to experience the amazing things that happen when people work cooperatively.

It has been my experience so far that if I take the time to help out a fellow student who may be lagging behind, I get the benefit. I have also been on the receiving end of this sort of academic fellowship. I've had fellow students drag me kicking and screaming through some concept I simply could NOT understand. until I got it.

The way Evergreen works is the way real life works. When I'm out in the field, it serves me nothing to compete against my co-workers. The job gets done much more quickly if we work together . our team gets better and better at our tasks because we teach each other how to do things. Our team looks good because we all support each other. We get positive feedback and raises and all sorts of warm fuzzies because we all work together to do the job. And better yet, each member of our team becomes better able to support the whole because we have taken the time to raise the level of competence of everyone.

Shawna McGarry, MES 2007, Community Development & Policy

While working in the legal field, I dreamed of returning to school to learn more about the environment and discover ways that humans could live in better harmony with it. The MES program was attractive to me because of its combined focus on environmental policy and science. Once enrolled in the program, I really appreciated the range of educational backgrounds amongst the students and faculty. This made the task of examining environmental issues within their scientific, economic, political and social contexts much more feasible.

Another strength of this program is that students are free to explore different research methods for conducting their thesis projects. Using the Community Based Action Research method, I conducted a deeply rewarding thesis project on the Local Ecological Knowledge of flooding in my Seattle neighborhood. In-depth interviews with key long-term and active residents helped me to understand the drainage challenges present in the watershed and to connect with my community in a meaningful way. Ultimately, the findings were submitted to Seattle Public Utilities in order to inform their project on this issue.

As a result of the Environmental Policy Making elective and the time I spent in local meetings for my thesis, I learned that I wanted to get experience facilitating collaborative efforts among environmental stakeholders. This knowledge and the experience I gained conducting interviews for my thesis helped me to get a job with Ross & Associates Environmental Consulting, Ltd. in Seattle soon after graduating. As I begin my career in this field, I am grateful that I received such a broad and timely environmental education in the MES program.

Mariam Ubilava, MES 2007, Climate Change

Since my high school, I had a dream to become environmentalist and do something important for environment. My dream came true, when I opened the door of Evergreen and therefore MES program in 2005. I graduated from Evergreen with Master's Degree in Environmental Studies in summer of 2007. While studying on the MES, the program was focusing on the major environmental topics and issues, starting with global climate change, energy efficiency, natural resources conservation, water quality, environmental policy and advocacy, etc. The teaching style, reading materials, seminar discussions and conducting researches, helped me to be developed academically and professionally.Since I left Evergreen, I moved back to Georgia (country not state). The education and knowledge, which I obtained at Evergreen and through my working experiences, I am using now for solving global problems (another of my dream came true: "now doing something important for environment on global scale"). As a Head of Hydrometeorology and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment Protection of Georgia, I am responsible for mitigating climate change process and encourage developing Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) in Georgia . Just, currently, I was nominated as an expert at the Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT) under the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC).

I am grateful that I had a chance to study at Evergreen, discuss verity of environmental and scientific topics with Evergreen faculty, staff and students.

Alla Sushko, MES 2006, Policy, Soil Pollution, & Environmental Education

I began my studies at Evergreen in 2004, as a recipient of the very competitive Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program, sponsored and managed by the Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs, US Department of State. Until my exposure at Evergreen to the variety of environmental issues confronting our world, I had only a limited knowledge of the severity of the impacts much less the processes for dealing with and correcting the problems. I graduated from the MES program in 2006, with a greater understanding and awareness of the kinds of challenges that I will be confronting in my career as an environmental professional.

I realized that Evergreen not only challenged, but also encouraged me to think outside the box and discover my potential beyond the classroom. While my background experience from Belarus was mainly in biological science with a minor in teaching, my passion had always been with finding, recording and resolving environmental issues. Study at Evergreen allowed, me to develop my interests through classroom work, teamwork and discussion.

In addition to the academic benefits of Evergreen, I had opportunities to directly apply what I had learned through the internship program supported by the college. I accepted a position with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that helped me to not only finish my thesis, but also contribute to the actual development of a part of the State's environmental and recreational policy. I worked directly with the DNR in conducting environmental analysis for a project designed to update the recreational regulations. Additionally, I worked in conjunction with other government agencies in researching lead contaminated areas statewide. Through this experience I realized that I had the capacity and confidence to use what I had learned outside of academia and that culture and language were not as much of a barrier for me as I had expected. The result of this was that I now wanted to challenge myself to present my research in front of international audiences of my professional peers.

Since graduation, I have presented my research at a number of international conferences on environmental issues. I took advantage of opportunities to attend these conferences in hopes that they would allow me to see what different nations with different levels of economic growth have done to resolve their environmental problems. While at Evergreen, I gained a confidence in my research skills and dedication to detail that has been proven by the fact that each time I've submitted my abstracts I've been selected to present my work. It is very rewarding to have your work spark discussion and conversation among the attendees with genuine interest in how it could apply to their own situation. Through these conferences, I have also been able to develop networking with other environmental professionals worldwide. I know that these experiences have led me to see other challenges in environmental protection and helped me to focus where I want my career to proceed.

I directly attribute my success to my experiences at Evergreen. The wonderful professors who challenged and encouraged me also allowed me to explore my own views and deduce my own conclusions during the two years I spent studying there. My work with government agencies, non-profit organizations and delegates of the conferences has shown me that I want to become more involved in international Environmental Impact Assessment.

Currently I am continuing my research independently on different environmental issues in Belarus focusing on soil pollution, public environmental awareness and education. Additionally, I am investigating the possibility of developing an Environmental Awareness Center , in my home city of Brest , Belarus . My hope is that it would better educate the public of existing problems and the need to protect the environment.

My studies at Evergreen, along with my accomplishments since, have ultimately led to a challenging but life-changing experience. While the path that led me from Belarus to the Evergreen State College was not always easy, I would encourage others who find themselves in the same situation to press on towards their goals and see challenges as opportunities.

Matthew Nelson, MES 2005, Community Development & Natural Resource Management

I graduated from the Master of Environmental Study Program in the summer of 2005 and look back with great memories of my educational experiences there. Evergreen and the MES program allowed me to focus on important environmental topics in a way that I would not have been able to at other educational institutions. I came into the MES program with a background in environmental and experiential education and found the teaching style and curriculum to be well suited for my academic growth. The programs where exciting and challenging while the relationship formed between my fellow students and teachers allowed a close knit learning community to form.

The direction I took with my thesis work evolved out of the great learning community that the MES program developed. Along with six fellow MES students, I applied for and won a P3 grant from the EPA to develop an information matrix on the benefits of living-roof technology. This was an amazing experience that I will never forget. It culminated in our team presenting our findings to the EPA in Washington D.C. The P3 grant formed the basis of my thesis work on building ecosystem matrices for habitat development by implementing living green roofs on a large scale in the urban environment.

The MES class of 2005 chose water as the special area of interest to use for case study and discussion. I now find myself working for the Arizona Department of Water Resources right smack in the heated policy and allocation debates that many of our class topics revolved around. I couldn't have asked for a better work assignment straight out of the MES program. I am able to continue in discussions and work in a program that is trying to navigate around very important environmental issues of water allocation and natural resource conservation. Finding the balance between growth, prior appropriation use, and the ecological needs of the waterways and the land has been a great way for me to take everything that I learned in the MES program and use it for a greater community good.

Brian Missildine, MES 2005, Natural Resource Management

Since graduating in 2004 I have had a couple noteworthy achievements in my life. I, along with three coauthors had a peer-reviewed article published in Environmental Science and Technology and I was accepted and have started a PhD program in Fisheries Management at West Virginia University through my job at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I continue to toil on Endangered Species Act projects at the Fish and Wildlife Service but have recently been assigned to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency work through the Endangered Species Act process with other federal agencies. What a challenge that has been! My family and I continue to live on a small farm out toward Grays Harbor where soccer takes up most of our time. I would look forward to hearing from my fellow classmates. You can contact me at

cohophysh@yahoo.com

.

Joanna L. Runnells , MES 2005, Climate Change & Geoscience

Joanna L. Runnells is an environmental geoscientist who holds a Master of Environmental Study degree from The Evergreen State College (Evergreen), Olympia , WA and a B.S. in Earth Science and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria (UVic), in British Columbia . Prior to pursuing her master's degree, she had spent six years working with various environmental consultant companies in BC, where she was involved in contaminated site assessments and mine closure and reclamation studies. While at Evergreen, she was assistant editor of Environmental Practice, the journal of the National Association of Environmental Professionals . Thanks to her thesis work at Evergreen, she got a research assistant position with the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, based out of the Centre of Global Studies at UVic. There she assisted with preparation of the BC Chapter of NRCan's Canadian Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Assessment. She currently works as a Program Geoscientist with the Crown Contaminated Sites Branch of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. The program provides cross-government policy and manages contaminated sites for which the province is responsible, using a risk-based approach. Since graduating, she has become a Professional Geoscientist with the Association of Engineers and Geoscientist of BC (APEG BC) and a certified Environmental Professional through Eco Canada.

Joanna was drawn to the MES program for its focus on both science and policy. Throughout her studies at Evergreen, she focused on the challenges around interdisciplinary issues and communicating and applying science to policy. Both these challenges are present in her diverse research interests, which include green development, natural disaster preparedness and mitigation, and the impacts of and adaptation to climate variability and change, particularly around water resources. Her experiences with the EPA-funded Evergreen Roof Project while at Evergreen provided the background for the article she published in Environmental Practice.

Joanna currently lives in Victoria, BC and can be contacted at jorunnells@alumni.uvic.ca

Eric Delvin, MES 2003, Political Ecology & Conservation

I completed the MES program in 2003. My thesis investigated the political ecology of tourism development in a panda reserve in western China. Although I did not have direct experience working in China previous to my studies at Evergreen, I felt confident with the tools that I developed in the MES program to travel and conduct my research over a six month period in one of the most remote protected areas in the country.

The lessons that I learned through my research and studies in the MES program remain potent for me in my career. I now work as a project manager for The Nature Conservancy in Olympia, WA. The interdisciplinary approach to problem solving and the creative thinking that I was able to engage in as a graduate student help me daily in my conservation work. My work for The Nature Conservancy involves developing partnerships across political and cultural boundaries in order to further the mission of conserving biodiversity. The skills that I developed in the MES program have helped me to excel in my career in conservation.

Tara Galuska, MES 2001, Natural Resource Management

I finished the MES program in 2000. Prior to starting the program, I had a career in environmental education. Even though the field of education is incredibly rewarding, I always knew I wanted more direct experience with natural resource management. The MES program helped open that door for me. When I started my BS degree at Berekely in the '80s, I had a passion for endangered species. I wanted to help something along that might not happen without a change in policy, attitude and human behavior. My idealistic vision has since changed, but I did manage to end up in a career assisting endangered species. Currently, I am working for the State of Washington at the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, part of the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. Its mission is to support salmon recovery by funding habitat protection projects and related activities that produce sustainable and measurable benefits for fish and their habitats. I am grateful to be doing something that is positively contributing to the interconnected web we live in and rely on.

Debora Holmes, MES 2001, Environmental Journalism, Invasive Species, & Greenways

Debora R. Holmes received her MES degree after attending Evergreen from 1999 to 2001. She considers her time in the MES program a valuable and engaging experience that gave her excellent vocational preparation and lifelong motivation. Since graduating, Debora has been the Managing Editor of Environmental Practice, the scientific, peer-reviewed journal of the National Association of Environmental Professionals, an organization in which she is also an active member. She holds degrees in English and music from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota, and did additional work in the physical, biological, and animal sciences at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul. For several years before attending Evergreen, Debora worked with non-profit organizations such as the Sierra Club and the PIRGs (Public Interest Research Groups) in Minnesota and Washington, primarily on environmental issues. Her fields of interest include invasive species, toxics research, and wild and urban greenways. When not working, she spends as much time as possible outdoors.

Eric Bergman, MES 1997, Policy & Land Use Planning

I was in the MES program from 1995 - 1997. My thesis was on urban sprawl in Colorado and how Washington State's Growth Management Act might be an applicable statewide policy model. Going to Evergreen for my masters was one of the best decisions I ever made. It has really opened up some doors. I have had great success since moving back to Colorado in 1997. I was hired to work in the newly created Office of Smart Growth in 2001 and was named director of the office in 2003. I work closely with local governments around the state doing land use and growth management work - basically my dream job. It really is a fabulous program and a great school.