May 12, 2025
We are happy to announce that Nicole Naar, WSG social science and education specialist, was selected to receive the UW College of the Environment’s 2025 Outstanding Community Impact Award. This award recognizes stakeholder engagement that stimulates, inspires and drives interactive uses of environmental science and information to impact the broader community. The Awards Committee was impressed with the way Nicole exemplifies the spirit of this award by engaging with diverse constituents to convey complex information respectfully and accurately.
Nicole Naar, Washington Sea Grant social science and education specialist, and recipient of the College of the Environment’s Outstanding Community Impact Award.
Nicole is heavily involved in Washington’s shellfish communities through her work in the Tide’s Out training program and as coordinator of the Willapa Bay Grays Harbor Estuary Collaborative (WGHEC). Launched in April 2022 and facilitated by WSG, the Collaborative holds the long-term mission of increasing the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems in the face of environmental change and other stressors, and applies the principles of ecosystem-based management to challenges facing southwest Washington’s “Twin Harbors” of Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, the heart of the state’s shellfish industry.
Nicole co-created the Tide’s Out training program, launched in 2024, with the purpose of preparing the next generation of the aquaculture workforce. The program aims to further workforce development in Washington’s aquaculture industry by offering free trainings for two tiers of the shellfish workforce: managers and crew. The trainings support managers by providing the resources and skills to retain a diverse workforce–including meeting the needs of employees and receiving cross-cultural communication strategies and best practices for working with diverse backgrounds. The training also benefits workers by providing the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful shellfish industry employees. As a near-native Spanish speaker, Nicole is able to use her bilingualism to connect with diverse audiences, including Spanish-speaking populations, and increase the accessibility of these trainings throughout Washington.
Within WGHEC, Nicole has played a pivotal role as lead coordinator for a multi-constituent body, demonstrating her skills as a convener, communicator and educator. Her dedication to transparency, engagement and education is evident through the Collaborative’s website, where shellfish growers can connect with online resources, learn about the Collaborative’s activities and find opportunities to get engaged. Since Nicole’s involvement, the Collaborative has built significant trust and reached common ground, allowing them to collaboratively tackle problems facing the complex social-ecological system within southwest Washington.
Nicole also works on projects related to seaweed aquaculture and kelp conservation, and collaboratively designs lessons and curricula that bring WSG’s research and extension work into K-12 classrooms.
When asked about Nicole’s work, Meg Chadsey, WSG carbon specialist and PMEL Liason, commented: “It’s hard to overstate the impact Nicole has had on Washington’s shellfish growing communities and her extended Sea Grant family since joining WSG in the fall of 2020. Rarely have I encountered someone with her level of compassion, insight, commitment, efficiency and a magician’s hat of facilitation tricks—all delivered with a smile! We are very fortunate to have you as such a valued member of our community!”
Congratulations Nicole! We are grateful for Nicole’s work and proud to have her as part of the Washington Sea Grant family.
To read more about the 2025 College of the Environment awardees, visit: environment.uw.edu/news/2025/05/spring-celebration-honors-2024-25-uw-environment-award-winners/
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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.
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MAY
2025