Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Jessica Smits uses what she learned with Dr. Sze in her current job as a science writer. (Courtesy Jessica Smits)

By Megan Weintraub

2002 graduate Jessica Quinn Smits would have written her thesis on biochemistry if it hadn't been for Dr. Sze's lecture on sea otters and their role in the ecosystem.

"I’ll never forget that day,” she says. “I looked over at Kyle Smits (my classmate at the time, and now my husband) and said, ‘I’ve changed my mind. I’m doing my thesis on sea otters.’”

An ocean lover from a young age and an avid reader of the New York Times’ “Science Times” section, Smits credits Dr. Sze with fostering her interest in marine policy. His talent for presenting science in an accessible way, including his incorporation of popular science magazines like National Geographic and Discover, influenced Smits to combine her interests in biology and writing.

"He showed that writing doesn’t have to be in a peer-reviewed scientific journal to be appreciated by a scientific audience,” she explains.

Dr. Sze also encouraged Smits to apply for an internship at National Geographic Television working with Crittercam, a video camera that records the underwater behavior of marine animals like whales, seals, and turtles. After graduation, Smits ended up staying at National Geographic for more than two years in a full-time position as Production Coordinator.

Hoping to get more involved in the marine policy issues she first learned about in Dr. Sze's class, Smits decided to pursue her master's degree at the University of Washington's School of Marine Affairs. Dr. Sze’s marine biology and ecology courses, as well as her thesis research with him, provided Smits with a solid foundation for her graduate school work. Dr. Sze also influenced Smits’ decision to write her thesis on the communication campaigns that inform consumers about sustainable seafood.

“As part of Dr. Sze’s marine biology course, we read a book called The Great Gulf, by David Dobbs,” explains Smits. “It gave me an introductory knowledge on fisheries issues that helped me to get an internship at the Marine Fish Conservation Network, a marine conservation group on Capitol Hill. This internship opened my eyes to the complexity of marine policy, especially fisheries conservation issues.”

Smits is currently working for Maryland Sea Grant, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program, a network of programs in the coastal and Great Lakes states. Her work involves extensive writing about the Chesapeake Bay, and she is still able to call upon Dr. Sze when she needs his insight.

“I had a question about dinoflagellates recently,” says Smits, “then I realized that I had a renowned algal expert just an e-mail away!”

Dr. Sze’s passion for nature and his commitment to his students reaffirmed Smits’ decision to become a science writer. Ultimately, she hopes to pursue a career in which she can write about the ocean in a way that inspires people to appreciate and protect it—the same way Dr. Sze’s teaching motivated her.

“I feel that what I’m doing today is definitely a product of my studies at Georgetown and especially Dr. Sze’s influence,” Smits says. “ I feel very lucky to have gone to Georgetown and met so many great friends and had professors like Dr. Sze. To this day, Georgetown is where I feel most at home. ”

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