Saving Seafood

Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 5, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which pays tribute to generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched our nation’s history and are instrumental to its future. Join us in celebrating this month by meeting some of our colleagues from coast to coast who help NOAA Fisheries ensure sustainable fisheries, conserve and recover protected species, conduct scientific research, and conserve important habitats.

Jui-Han Chang, Research Biologist

Growing up in Taiwan, Jui-Han was surrounded by spectacular oceans and rugged mountains. Her  father is an amateur ecologist and her mother is an environmental advocate, so it seemed she was destined for a career in science. But it took her a while to find her path.

Now she works at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center on multiple scallop-related projects, including data collection, stock assessment, climate change, and artificial intelligence. All of these things influence sea scallop management. She loves her work at the center because she’s very passionate about fisheries science. Most importantly, it really excites her that the work she does has a real impact on marine resource management and sustainable fisheries.

Learn more about Jui-Han and her work

Kristen Koyama, National Endangered Species Recovery Coordinator

Kristen Koyama grew up on the west side of Los Angeles, California near the ocean. The ocean was always a presence in her life and she visited the beach on weekends. However, she still struggled to connect to the natural world even though she was fascinated by it. Living in an urban area made her seek out nature more, and her interest in marine science and the ocean continued throughout her education and career.

Kristen’s interest in nature led her to a multifaceted career in ecology, public policy, and international conservation issues. Today, she plays an important role at NOAA Fisheries as the national recovery coordinator for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Learn more about Kristen Koyama and her work

Read the full release here

Women’s History Month: Talking with Jui-Han Chang

March 26, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Can you tell us about your science journey, your career in science?

My journey to science was not the shortest, but it was the luckiest. I grew up in Taiwan, a small but beautiful island country about 100 miles off the coast of southeastern China. It’s surrounded by spectacular oceans and full of rugged mountains. My dad is an amateur ecologist and my mom is an environmental advocate. It seemed all the cards were lined up for a career in the natural sciences, but nothing particularly inspired me until later.

When I was young, I was lost. I struggled in schools because I couldn’t find anything interesting enough to make me want to study hard, but I went to college anyway. I was a business major at Aletheia University in Taiwan. It was not my choice, but was the only option based on my scores on the test Taiwanese students take to get selected for colleges and majors. During college I went scuba diving, which was part of a swimming coach training. It was love at first sight, my first glimpse into the mystery of the ocean. At the time, I didn’t know what I was looking at, but I knew I loved this different but beautiful world. That’s when I knew I should change my career path.

After barely finishing with a business degree, I decided to go to graduate school. I wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do because of my poor grades, but it was the best decision I ever made. I applied to the National Taiwan Ocean University’s Institute of Marine Resource Management and was accepted. I lucked out because they were looking for students with a multidisciplinary background.

Read the full release here