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Elizabeth Zajaczkowski ’25 is a current Master of Environmental Management student at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and worked with Environmental Law and Policy Clinic (ELPC) on a client case as a Student Consultant during the Spring ’24 semester. Her Master’s Project centers on mapping subsistence harvest areas to inform sustainable aquaculture development in Alaska, working through Professor Patrick Halpin’s Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab. Prior to attending Duke, Zajaczkowski attended the University of Washington where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Geography.

Zajaczkowski grew up around water and enjoyed spending time tide-pooling, crabbing and camping. Her love of the water led her to pursue an AAUS Scientific Diver certification at Friday Harbor Labs. Her passion for ocean life includes documenting her experiences through underwater photography. She has helped young people to get certified as divers, providing mentorship in ocean storytelling as well as advocacy.

Her experience also includes an Outreach and Education Internship with NOAA Fisheries – Alaska Center helping with the production of NOAA Live! Alaska webinars, as well as researching methods to navigate Traditional Ecological Knowledge when creating environmental outreach in the Iñupiaq region of Alaska. She also worked as a Youth Ocean Advocate for the Seattle Aquarium, as a Ranger Naturalist for the City of Edmonds, and as a Research Assistant helping to develop ways to facilitate a muti-sector international workshop to equitably reduce marine plastic pollution.  During the 2023-24 academic year, Zajaczkowski worked as a Lab Coordinator for the Duke Ocean Synthesis Lab, updating the Ocean Synthesis Lab website and assisting with a research project focused on gender equity in fisheries.

She shares her experience working with the ELPC team below:

Can you please talk about your path to Duke’s Master of Environmental Management program?

My fascination with the environment began at a young age, being surrounded by the diverse and beautiful ecosystems of Washington State. Spending time around the ocean, tidepooling and eventually scuba diving led me to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies in as an Undergrad.

My experience as a Scuba Diver and Ranger Naturalist allowed me to be immersed in communities that are deeply connected with their local environment and have developed a deep knowledge about it over time. As a Ranger, I would often hear concerns that regulations and other management decisions were implemented without the consideration of the community.

I decided to pursue a Master of Environmental Management at Duke because of the unique ability to combine study of Coastal and Marine Systems with Community Engagement and Environmental Justice along with other technical skills. Through this program I am developing my ability to support community-based marine resource management in my career.

What sparked your interest in community engagement and the connection between people and the ocean?

As I mentioned, being a Scuba Diver and Ranger Naturalist allowed me to be surrounded by people who became experts on their local environment through their direct interactions with it (such as fishing, diving, being a hobby naturalist, etc.). As a Ranger, folks would voice their frustration about policies and management decisions because their knowledge was not being considered.

The lack of consideration of Indigenous and Local Knowledge in management decisions continues to be surprising to me. This experience sparked my interest in supporting community-based initiatives and the inclusion of diverse knowledge systems in environmental management decisions.

Why did you decide to apply to ELPC, and did you find the experience valuable for your career goals?

I applied to the ELPC because of the opportunity to collaborate with Duke Law students to support a real environmental case in the region. Through the Clinic, I developed my skills in science communication through interacting with clients, producing GIS products, and collaborating with Law students. I also gained valuable insights of the legal process in addressing environmental concerns.

You have mentioned you felt welcomed by the ELPC team and that the workload was manageable for you. Can you expand on your experience collaborating with law students and ELPC faculty?

The format of the ELPC of assigning smaller groups to work on each case, then coming together during weekly seminar, allows for direct collaboration at many levels. Having the opportunity to collaborate with your case team, then take your questions and experiences to the broader clinic group for brainstorming fostered a supportive environment. During seminar, I was able to learn from the cases other ELPC students were working on and often make connections to my case. I worked most directly with Ryke Longest, who supervised my case, but Michelle and Nancy also provided valuable advice and direction relating to my work in the clinic and future career.

What was it like connecting with the clients, and how did you feel about your work overall?

I value the relationship that I was able to build with the clients on my case during my time at the ELPC. Bi-weekly calls with our clients made sure that our work was addressing their needs. Open communication with our clients also provided insight into the reasoning behind the decisions they made with the case. In my experience, this real-world perspective is something that can only be gained by working with community experts, rather than solely in the classroom.

How did you apply your GIS and research skills?

I was able to build upon research conducted by previous Nicholas School students by using GIS to create maps that illustrated the primary arguments of the case. In this way, I was able to further develop skills in science communication and storytelling to support the work of the law students in my case. I was also able to verify some of the scientific details by searching for datasets and conducting geospatial analysis.

What advice would you share with students who are considering applying to ELPC?

I highly recommend applying for the ELPC! I also recommend carefully planning your courses, extracurricular activities, and work, so that you can dedicate the necessary time to your assigned case. Balancing your time is essential so that you can get the most out of your experience with the Clinic and support your clients.