Eliza Perkins

Eliza Perkins is pursuing a Master’s degree at University of Washington’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs and was awarded a FLAS fellowship to study Inuktut during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Eliza was born and raised in Monterey, California. In May 2020, she graduated with her BA from Vassar College in Earth Science and Geography with minors in Sustainability and German Studies. Her primary academic interest during her undergraduate years and into her early career focused around watershed management.  From engaging in grassroots advocacy about mining impacts and Bristol Bay protection in southwest Alaska, to working in the science department of an international, inter-tribal watershed council focused on the Yukon River, Eliza developed a passion for the environmental health of Alaska, Canada, and the broader Arctic. After completing her MA, she plans to continue to work toward protecting and restoring rivers, reducing mining impacts on freshwater and transboundary systems, and advancing climate change adaptation strategies. She is very interested in connecting her new knowledge of Inuktut language of culture to marine law, policy, and watershed management in Alaska and Canada via the award’s area studies classes. In addition to gaining language proficiency in Inuktut, she is very grateful to meaningfully broaden her knowledge of Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing.

This FLAS award means that she will have the chance to continue to employ an international and multicultural lens for the duration of her graduate studies, and these perspectives will be leveraged by her throughout her career. As someone who seeks to expand upon prior professional experiences in Canada and Alaska, who is interested in international environmental policy, and whose pursuits are not limited by linguistic or national boundaries, this FLAS award holds immense value to her.