In addition to co-coordinating reports for Congress on
harmful algal bloom and low oxygen conditions, I am now also helping to develop
a five-year strategic plan for the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Assigned projects aside, I have had the great fortune of
participating in numerous professional development activities. In May, I went
to a meeting of the International Joint Commission Great Lakes Science Advisory
Board to discuss the contents of an upcoming report. At the Canadian Embassy
the following day, I observed each advisory board reporting out to the
commissioners and providing guidance on the content of the report.
The Canadian Embassy where I observed the proceedings of an International Joint Commission meeting.
During Capitol Hill Ocean Week in June, I observed panels of
government researchers and policymakers discussing some of the most pressing
issues our oceans are facing. Topics included Arctic Ocean policy, illegal
fishing and collaborative marine conservation. One of the most interesting
panels was a group of high school and college students who had done notable
ecological projects. The students talked about their projects, what inspires
them, and their vision for tackling challenging problems, including climate
change. The event ended with a leadership panel that included Dr. Katherine
Sullivan, NOAA’s Administrator and Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and
Atmosphere, who discussed her thoughts on challenges and successes in ocean
science and policy.
A squinty photo of me at Capitol Hill Ocean Week, with the Capitol Building in the background.
Another day I traveled from Silver Spring to the Dirksen Senate Office Building in downtown D.C.
to check out a congressional hearing on the drought conditions in California
and other West Coast states. It was sobering to hear just how severe the
drought was and is projected to be in the future. However, I was encouraged by some
of the senators’ questions, which reflected an understanding of how grave the
drought is and displayed an interest in understanding how to help the
situation. Theoretically, the senators can use this information to make
decisions that support a variety of drought mitigation efforts. I sure hope
they do.
Dirksen Senate Office Building, where I heard a hearing on the West Coast drought.
I also participated in two NOAA workshops: Planning and
Facilitating Collaborative Meetings and Project Planning and Evaluation. Both
were extremely helpful in providing training in techniques that I hope to do
more of in my career moving forward.
A trip to the U.S. Naval Observatory, as part of a Knauss Fellow
potluck and open house event, was a breath of fresh air from the usual urban D.C.
surroundings. With its green lawn, tall trees, and buildings dating back to the
1800s, the campus has the feel of an old field station. After a potluck dinner on
the grounds, we went on a tour of the campus, which included the James Melville Gilliss Library and two large telescopes,
one of which we used to see a vivid image of Saturn and its rings!
Photos above: Looking around the James Melville Gilliss Library and getting a tour a telescope at the U.S. Naval Observatory.
The Knauss Fellows working on the legislative side also
recently organized an event on Capitol Hill. This provided an opportunity to meet
with legislative assistants and professional subcommittee staffers working in
both the House and Senate, and included a tour of the Capitol building and the Library
of Congress. In my humble opinion, the intricate patterns, textures, and colors in the floors, walls, and ceiling of the Library of Congress make it one of the most beautiful buildings in D.C.
Above left: The star in the floor of the U.S. Capitol Building that marks the point at which the streets in Washington D.C. are laid out and numbered. Above right: a view from inside the Library of Congress.
Through these activities, I have learned about the executive
and legislative branches of government, Great Lakes and ocean policy, planning
projects, and facilitating events.
Needless to say, I am learning a lot and staying busy, and
there are still two months to go!
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