RESERVIST MAGAZINE SHIPMATES IN FOCUS From the classroom to the real world Story by Anastasia Devlin For any number of reasons, the dream of being a marine biologist seems to be pretty common among children. For one, the ocean covers almost two-thirds of the planet. But it may be the draw toward professions that challenge, spark creativity and help the living world around them keep the job of marine biologist pretty close to the top of the list. Ensign Samantha Farquhar, who joined the Coast Guard last year, is putting that dream into action. Currently, she is a doctoral student studying integrated coastal sciences at East Carolina University in North Carolina, but Farquhar has studied the effects of the shifting fish population on the human societies for the last decade. After completing her undergrad, she had a moment where she wasn’t sure she’d picked the right path. “I had this moment where I thought, ‘All I know is fish…'” she said with a laugh, but over the years, she began to apply her knowledge to more and more creative purposes, and ones that took her farther from the U.S. Farquhar combines a background heavy in research and academia with a love of travel and exploring other cultures. Working with agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) opened her eyes to how these larger organizations function, and how policies created at national and international levels trickle down to affect more local (and more rural) economies. During her undergrad and masters, Farquhar also studied international development abroad in countries like Nepal, Madagascar, and Italy, using the understanding of how the fisheries cycle works to help others gain access to employment, empowerment, and a steady future. “Somehow I used fish to help people,” she joked. “I got into international development niche, which it turns out is quite a small niche.” Not all her learning was professional, though; sometimes being around other cultures is its own educational experience. “Once, I was stuck on an island for three days, working with a team of local Malagasy people, but my French wasn’t that great, and my Malagasy was non-existent,” she said. “I had to roll with it when the people explained they’d fix my boat eventually. I camped for a few days, waiting for my boat to get fixed. I learned to be patient in Madagascar; I learned a lot of adaptability.” Seeking to leave the ivory tower of academia and apply her knowledge, Farquhar applied to the Coast Guard after hearing about it from a fellow student who was a Coast Guardsman. Especially coming through the pandemic, the connection of being around the water and seeing the tangible evidence of what she was studying really appealed to her. “I wanted to have more impact in my work, and more practical experience,” she said. Photo by Seaman Christian Lower 30 RESERVIST . Issue 2 • 2023 CELEBRATING CELEBRATING 70 70 YEARS OF THE RESERVIST YEARS OF THE RESERVIST
