January 28, 2025

Having led Washington Sea Grant communications since 2014, Wagner shares about her 40-year career 

If you heard news from or learned more about Washington Sea Grant (WSG) over the last ten years, chances are good that MaryAnn Wagner, assistant director for communications, had something to do with it. Communications plays a key role in the overall Sea Grant mission, keeping our audiences informed on current projects, research and coastal and marine issues. Wagner has led the WSG communications team since 2014, sharing her expertise including campaign development, media relations, and writing that she has developed over a 40 year career. 

It is bittersweet to share that Wagner retired in December. In her last month at WSG, we had the chance to ask her about the arc of her career, proudest accomplishments, and what she’s most looking forward to. 

What do you consider your greatest accomplishments while leading communications at Washington Sea Grant?

I can think of a few key projects that I am particularly proud to have had a strong influence in directing and developing alongside my colleagues. The first to come to mind is the Science Communications Fellowship program, which I developed from a nascent UW-focused fellowship to a full-fledged, year-round program that now includes undergraduates. I expanded the program to include the UW College of the Environment for the past five years and the program now serves a far more diverse group of early career students representing a broad range of colleges and universities throughout the state. 

I am also pleased to have led the communications team for the past ten years as we expanded staff capacity, types of projects produced and the portfolio of communications tools offered, such as social media platforms LinkedIn, Instagram and Flickr. Our team also expanded Sea Star, the WSG legacy newsletter, into a full-fledged, online 12-page magazine. WSG’s 50th year anniversary communications campaign was also great fun to lead and garnered national recognition. Accomplishments such as these have elevated WSG’s visibility within our UW community and throughout the state.

But perhaps the most exciting project was publishing the second edition of Heaven on the Half Shell, the Story of the Oyster in the Pacific Northwest in 2023. This 248-page, full-color book produced in partnership with the University of Washington Press is now in its second printing and continues to be shared around the state through book readings and lectures and was nominated for a James Beard Book Award. I had the great pleasure of writing the book with co-authors and Sea Grant colleagues Samantha Larson and David George Gordon who also, as author M.F.K. Fisher would say, “consider the oyster” an amazing creature and a pleasure to eat. In fact, I may have eaten well over my lifetime limit of oysters during the writing of this book. My hope is that the book marks the beginning of a new chapter for WSG as a producer of quality books, manuals and guides far into the future. 

How did you begin your career in communications?  

As a freshman at the UW, I gravitated towards arts communication, initially because of my background as a dancer, writer and artist. At this time, the communications field was not considered a professional career, but the need was there, especially in the arts. So, I began working as a publicist for a national dance company, studied business marketing at Harvard and from there wrote and edited for a variety of Seattle arts groups — from the Seattle Symphony, MOHAI and the Frye Art Museum, to the Burke Museum and Classical King FM. I sort of grew up alongside the field of communications. Now most organizations have an established internal communications department and many universities offer a variety of specialized degrees in communications.

How did you end up at Washington Sea Grant?

While at the Burke Museum, I was exposed to both the arts and the sciences. Very much to my surprise as a die-hard artsy person, I fell in love with the sciences. I learned about the fields of mammalogy, arachnology, paleobotany, archaeology and invertebrate paleontology to name a few. From there, I segued into science writing at the UW College of the Environment and was lucky to land at WSG where I developed a new passion for marine sciences. 

What is your favorite part about doing marine science communications or working for WSG?

Boredom does not happen at Sea Grant. The best part of working in marine science communications is working alongside scientists and outreach specialists who are constantly problem-solving and investigating the latest in marine science and sharing their knowledge with people who need it most. I learned a lot and was often inspired by the talented people at WSG. I can honestly tell you that I now know far more about the technical aspects of pumping sewage out of a boat, the impacts of sea level rise, how to build a clam garden and the variety of fishing vessels at Fishermen’s Terminal, than I did ten years ago.

What’s your biggest piece of advice for someone seeking to build a career in science communication?

Seek out an internship or fellowship at a science-based organization that aligns with your own passions. It doesn’t have to be a communications-specific position, it could be anything that gets you in the door. Once there, get to know the people in the field of your choice by working alongside them and while there seek out writing opportunities or volunteer to write about it. In this way, you build a portfolio. Initially, it may not pay much, but it will pay off in the long run by creating a network of people who know you and know your work ethic.

What are you most looking forward to in retirement? 

Spending time with my family and focusing on supporting them while fitting in adventures in sailing, fishing, cooking, rowing, hiking and traveling. I’ll continue to write, but it will probably be about my favorite oyster bar just around the corner or the fish that got away.

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Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. Washington Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer.

wsg.uw.edu

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