For our May “fish sister” profile, we are highlighting another fantastic woman of fisheries! As a fisheries biologist, Julie Claussen has spanned many disciplines in her research, from reproductive life histories, conservation genetics, sustainable fisheries practices and management, and the connections of recreational fishing to reproductive activities, reproductive success, recruitment, and post-release behavior and survival. Nowadays, however, she spends her time communicating scientific topics to natural resource constituents as a founding partner and Director of Operations at Fisheries Conservation Foundation. As a testament to this work, she was recognized for her efforts in 2018 with the Emmeline Moore Prize from the American Fisheries Society which is awarded to individuals that show a “strong commitment and exemplary service to ensuring equal opportunity access to higher education in fisheries and/or professional development”.
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Current Position(s):
For most of my career I was a fisheries research biologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey at the University of Illinois and worked on a variety of fisheries management projects. Although my time at the INHS was invaluable in my growth as a scientist, over time, I found I wanted to be more engaged as a science communicator and with natural resource constituents. As a result, I worked with a group of scientists and conservationists to found the Fisheries Conservation Foundation, where I now serve as the Director of Operations. We work on ways to promote science-based solutions to stakeholders on native fish and fisheries issues. This work has included global cooperative projects in the US, Canada, Bahamas, Bhutan, and Thailand. One of the unexpected joys later in my career has been working with different cultures and exploring new perspectives, and that has definitely challenged me to be a better scientist.
How long have you been in fisheries?
My first real fisheries position was in 1984 so it has been a long time!
How did you get into the field?
I was a kid that was always outdoors climbing and exploring. I grew up on a farm and had the freedom to roam, so I always knew I wanted a stay immersed in nature. My high school guidance counselor told me I wasn’t smart enough to go to college (granted I wasn’t the best student) and that biology was not a good career for a girl. Fortunately, my personality is one that often says “so what?” and I forged ahead. My undergrad degree was in biology with a focus on environmental education. Fish and fisheries were not on my radar until I was on a summer field course and I saw someone with a T-shirt that said “Illinois Natural History Survey” and I thought that sounded like my kind of place. I applied for an internship that was available in Aquatic Ecology, so a t-shirt literally started me on my path to fish.
Who has been your favorite mentor or role model?
I was very fortunate to work in the field with R. Weldon (Larry) Larimore, who was a true old-school naturalist. He would scold me for not knowing the names of every tree or bird, even though we were out doing fish work. Larry had this great ability to get you thinking about nature as a whole and not get too focused on the details without seeing the bigger picture. Later in my career we had offices across from each other and he would stop by with an article, a poem, or a book to discuss. He constantly challenged me to be a naturalist and not just a fish biologist and to share fisheries knowledge with those that needed it.
Who had the greatest influence on you?
I am remarkably lucky that my partner in conservation is also my partner in life, so that relationship is understandably influential. Being married to a fellow fish biologist has allowed us to build a family and have careers on our terms. David has always pushed me to be better and do better. I can’t quite picture what life would be like without someone always available to discuss, debate, or try out new ideas with. Beyond that, the biggest influence on my career has been my involvement in the American Fisheries Society. AFS is great big village of differing opinions, disciplines, ages, and support groups. Through AFS, I’ve met new colleagues, made lifelong friends, engaged with international scientists, helped build programs, organized symposia, written papers, etc., and those experiences have challenged me to learn, grow, lead, and be a better scientist.
What was the best advice you’ve gotten?
“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” Ms. Frizzle had it completely right.
Do you have any advice for new women entering the field?
Now that I have a daughter in grad school I’ll offer the advice I tell her:
- Get involved in the American Fisheries Society or some other professional society. The networking opportunities will provide you with different perspectives, ways to meet other scientists, chances to build your resume, and especially for women, support during tough times.
- Be strategic – Think about what you want out of your career and chase all the opportunities you can that will help you figure out if you are on the right path. Make the investment to volunteer to try new things and gain new skills.
- Get out of your comfort zone (“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”) – Many, many times in my career I was in new territory and I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Fake til you make it can be a really effective mindset.
- Be the kind of person people like to work with – that translates into being enthusiastic, helpful, and thoughtful. If you don’t like working with people that grumble and object, then don’t be one! That seems a bit obvious, but I am sure we all have examples of working with complainers and it is no fun.
What is your favorite thing about working in fisheries?
I am happiest and most at home when I am out on the water. Every time I jump in with a snorkel and mask, I am reminded how being immersed in the underwater world alters my thinking. If everyone on this planet had a chance to spend some time snorkeling in a river or an ocean, people would see their connection to aquatic life differently. On some of our international projects I try to get people out snorkeling and it never fails to be an eye-opening experience.
What was the coolest experience you’ve had while working in fisheries?
I have two experiences that have really stuck with me. The first is from years ago working in the Grand Canyon. Every night we’d sample in a raft that was specially designed to electrofish at night in rapids. It is an incredible experience to be so remote, at night, on the water, with a view of the stars that most people can’t imagine. One night we were getting ready for a transect and our floodlights lit up a canyon wall covered in scorpions. It was one of those times when you say to yourself “wow, wow, wow…how many people get to see this?!”
The other is from a more recent trip in Bhutan. We were setting up receiver stations near a villager’s hut and she asked us to lunch. By the time we arrived, several other villagers had joined in to meet us and watch us take our meal. That experience of sitting in a bamboo shack, sharing a simple meal of boiled eggs, chili’s, and potatoes was quite special. I showed photos of fish, our research and talked about why we were there. We were able to ask them about what they thought about the big dams coming in, or what their biggest worries were. We make so many assumptions about how other people live but until we are able to sit in someone’s house and listen to their stories, can we understand how to really communicate about science with different cultures. That experience has had a big effect on how I think about our work there and what we need to do to be more effective.
What is your favorite fish?
Such a difficult question! I have to say my favorite times underwater are spent observing the tough, intelligent and highly expressive Smallmouth Bass.
Is there anything else you want to share?
One of the things that has made my life possible was the support system I had – I got a lot of help being able to carry out my choices, especially having children. This can be a demanding career and having people that have your back relieves a lot of stress. I had good friends that would watch our kids when I was in the field or would pick them up from school if I was running late. If Dave and I both wanted to go to the same conference, I had a family I could leave the kids with for a few days. I chose to work half-time for several years when the kids were young and having other biologists that kept me in the loop or offered me professional things I could work on from home felt like a life-line. Although I loved that part of my life, I often felt limited in what I could do professionally, so having a personal and professional support system to stay involved was critical for me.
Do you have any messages for the Women of Fisheries followers?
I entered biology in a time when disparaging remarks about being a woman as a field biologist were not uncommon. I worked with a lot of older male scientists that made sexist comments and rather than get frustrated or angry, I just understood it was generational and tried to show through example that I was capable. I laughed a lot of things off. I think it is much tougher now that the biases are subtler. The expectation is that we’ve made a lot of headway, and although I do know that is very true, there are plenty of examples where that is not the case. I feel we have not given women the specific tools they need when confronted with bias or an uncomfortable situation. Rather than laughing it off, what can we do to make our point understood? The more women can exchange views and discuss the tough subjects on being female in fisheries, the better we can transfer those conversations into usable information.