Alex Casamassima (BA, 2023)

After graduating from SoMAS in May 2023 with a degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Studies, Alex Casamassima was eager to get his hands dirty and get out in the field. In October he accepted a position with the Washington Conservation Corps-an Americorps program that serves all across Washington State. His crew works directly with the Tulalip Tribe, completing ecological restoration projects across the 22,000 acres of reservation and tribally owned land. Their goal is to improve water quality of salmon bearing streams, creeks, and rivers.

Examples of projects include manual and chemical removal of invasive plant species, planting native trees and shrubs, participating in vegetation monitoring and mapping, culvert assessments, and European green crab trapping.

Since joining, he has already received his Wilderness Advanced First Aid certification, Pesticide Public Operator License, and will be getting his Leave No Trace Trainer certification in June. 

Alex's Sustainability Studies degree has allowed him to have a greater understanding of all the moving parts that make up our projects- the land, the plants, the animals, the permits, the land owners, the fishers, the funding, etc. Alex has also utilized the GIS skills he learned at Stony Brook to map out invasive species and locations of culverts across the Tulalip Reservation. He is grateful to SoMAS for giving him the knowledge to confidently approach sustainability issues from both a scientific lens and a professional standpoint.