Attempting to Center Indigenous People in Marine Sciences

While the goal of my research is to center Indigenous knowledge and people, external forces often attempt to limit Indigenous participation. In this talk, I will share some of the great work we have been doing to weave Indigenous knowledge and mainstream science. Specific examples will include research on clam gardens, shellfish biotoxins, and climate adaption. I will share our work on systems level change to removed institutional barriers to community-based partnerships.

About the Speaker

Marco Hatch standing on the beach of Larrabee park, wearing a blue collared shirt and short grey hair. Rocky coast and tree in the background.
Marco Hatch
Associate Professor of Environmental Science

Marco Hatch is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science at the College of the Environment, Western Washington University. Marco is marine ecologist with a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a member of the Samish Indian Nation. Prior to WWU he directed the Salish Sea Research Center at Northwest Indian College. His research weaves traditional ecological knowledge and marine science through the exploration of food systems. He is currently co-PI for the NSF funded Native Food, Energy, Water Systems INCLUDES Alliance, PNW Hub lead for the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science and a Pew Marine Conservation Fellow. Hatch is on the Board of Trustees for the Washington Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, Coast Salish Youth Coalition and the Clam Garden Network.

Environmental Speaker Series

The Environmental Speaker Series is hosted by the College of the Environment at Western Washington University.

The Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30 pm in Academic Instructional Center West room 204 - AW-204. Talks will also be streamed via Zoom. Register with The Foundation for WWU & Alumni for the zoom link. Parking is available in lot C.

Learn more about the Environmental Speaker Series

Email Alumni@wwu.edu to be added to a mailing list to hear about upcoming events.