UW 20'th anniversary - alumni blog from Ellyn
For the University Centre's 20th anniversary, we reached out to some of our alumni and asked each of them three questions: What is your current position or job? What part of your studies at UW best prepared you for your current role or career? And what is your favourite memory from your time at UW? Their responses were featured in our 20-year anniversary report.
One of the alumni we reached out to was Ellyn from Canada, who graduated from the Coastal and Marine Management program in 2016. Let’s see what she had to say.
I am currently a PhD candidate working with Dr. Nigel Hussey at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. My research focuses on understanding the large-scale movements of Greenland halibut, a large, flatfish that is found in deep-water (~600 - 1100 m) across the Arctic/North Atlantic. This work uses acoustic telemetry to track the fish and involves a suite of analyses to determine where and when they move in the open ocean. My time at UW ignited my passion for the Arctic/Arctic research, which led me to my current PhD program. The program provided me with field opportunities, through e.g. the marine mammal field course in Húsavik and the aquaculture field course in Tálknafjörður, which helped prepare me for my current fieldwork.
There are too many [good memories] to count! I loved having opportunities to explore Iceland's amazing nature (visiting hot pots, experiencing the midnight sun, cheering for the magical aurora, hiking from Ísafjördur to Bolungarvík and around Hornstrandir). I will never forget attending Aldrei fór ég suður and listening to amazing Icelandic musicians or learning how to knit or experiences with life-long friends from my cohort.