Recent Fisheries Grad Returns From Second Subarctic Expedition

For many recent graduates, receiving a long-awaited degree is both a time of celebration and transition. However, after earning two bachelor degrees this past May in fisheries science and environmental policy planning, Alex Miller chose to “stay the course” and return to the familiar territory of the Subarctic on a summer-long research expedition. Miller’s research in the Subarctic began in 2003 when he was a sophomore. For three months Miller accompanied Smithsonian curator and research scientist for the National Museum of Natural History, Alex Adey, on the fourth season of Adey’s eight-year research project to study the Subarctic/Arctic distribution of seaweed species based on biomass.

This past summer Miller rejoined Adey and his research team aboard the “ALCA i” for the seventh season of Adey’s project. Adey’s vessel is a 64-foot, 3-masted motor-schooner specially designed to withstand the Subarctic climate. After his summer-long journey, Miller returned to Virginia Tech to pursue a master’s of science degree in environmental economics in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

4/12/09