Puget Sound Institute

The northern right whale dolphin is one of the most unusual marine mammals of the North Pacific Ocean and it can sometimes be spotted in the Salish Sea. It is one of only two dolphin species in the world without a dorsal fin, and its slender and streamlined shape make it appear almost eel-like. We have published a new overview of this species in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound. https://www.eopugetsound.org/article/northern-right-whale-dolphins-salish-sea

PSI's Michael Kern will be team teaching a course on Collaborative Leadership with Zoe Barsness of the UW Tacoma Milgard School of Business as part of the Collaborative Leadership Program at the UW Puget Sound Institute.

The course is open to both undergraduates and graduates as well as non-matriculated students; will provide public, private, and civic sector perspectives on Puget Sound protection and restoration; and offers an opportunity to earn four or five credits in just one month over three in-person Saturdays and three online Tuesday evenings.

If you are interested, or can help spread the word, please check out and/or repost the info below.

Develop your collaborative leadership skills this summer!
The Milgard School of Business is offering T BUS 490/TBUS 590 Collaborative Leadership during Summer Session A (June 22–July 22, 2026).

This hybrid course explores the theory and practice of leading across organizational, cultural, and political boundaries. Through case studies, guest speakers, and applied group projects, you'll learn how Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest leaders address complex environmental and natural resource management challenges.

Course Details:
📅 June 22–July 22
🖥️ Remote: Tuesday evenings
🏫 In-person: Saturdays (June 23, 27, 29 and July 11, 14, 18)
⏰ Enrollment deadline: Friday, June 19

Whether you work in public, private, nonprofit, or tribal sectors—or aspire to—this course will equip you to build and sustain effective cross-sector partnerships and drive collective impact.

Access students are also welcome!
Learn more: https://www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/collaboration/collaborative-leadership-program/

Author Eric Wagner and seabird biologist Peter Hodum in conversation about what seabirds are telling us about the health of the Salish Sea. Hosted by Jeff Rice. Field photos and audio from Destruction Island. Books available for purchase on site, book raffle, and a signing with Wagner.

FREE — seating is limited. Tickets are going fast. Get yours→ https://tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive

Sponsored by the University of Washington Tacoma, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington Press, and King's Books in Tacoma.

Meet one of our featured guests at Seabirds Live! Peter Hodum is a seabird biologist and conservation ecologist with over 30 years of experience studying threatened birds and island ecosystems, including tufted puffins. A professor at the University of Puget Sound, he'll join author Eric Wagner on stage on May 13 at UW Tacoma for a live multimedia conversation about what seabirds are telling us about the health of the Salish Sea. FREE event. Register → https://tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive
Puffin photo: Peter Hodum

Sponsors: University of Washington Tacoma University of Puget Sound University of Washington Press and King's Books in Tacoma