Natalie Kylie Bergen is a graduate student whose passion for the intersection of science, policy, and community-centered environmental work has shaped her journey at Alaska Pacific University. She is graduating this fall with a Master in Environmental Science!

Natalie’s path to APU wasn’t a straight line. With an undergraduate degree in history and biology, and an Arctic studies concentration, she learned early on how science and human experience intertwine. After moving to Alaska seven years ago, she found herself immersed in environmental planning, permitting, and contamination work at Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKBIRG). But she wanted more: to understand more clearly the statistical components of academic articles she read at work.

That desire led her to pursue a Master in Environmental Science at APU, specifically because of its strong quantitative coursework, interdisciplinary structure, and the opportunity to study in-person while staying rooted in Alaska. The Fisheries, Aquatic Science, and Technology Laboratory (FAST Lab) at APU quickly became a home base. There, Natalie found not just a workspace, but a community, one that included a faculty advisor she describes as “an absolute rockstar,” herself an APU graduate who went on to earn a PhD from Portland State.

Natalie dove into her thesis work in Fall 2023, developing a project that weaves data science, environmental change, and maritime policy: A descriptive analysis of the likelihood that commercial vessel traffic introduces marine invasive species to Alaska via hull biofouling. Using a decade of publicly available vessel arrival data paired with policy review, she identified how warming waters, vessel type, and regional traffic patterns shift the risk level. Her results show that Southeast Alaska faces the highest likelihood of invasive species introduction, due to both warmer waters and high port connectivity. Her findings provide vital insight for policymakers as Alaska considers how to get ahead of a growing issue, especially as warming oceans change old assumptions about what species can survive here.

One of Natalie’s most impactful academic experiences came from a course that expanded her worldview: Indigenous Knowledge in Science, co-taught with a university in New Zealand. Through Indigenous language integration, new ways of asking questions, and a listening-first approach, the class reshaped her understanding of how knowledge systems guide scientific inquiry. It was, she says, “a spectacular immersion” in ways of thinking often overlooked in Western science.

Beyond campus, Natalie’s learning extended across the globe. She traveled to Portugal to attend an international marine invasions conference, where she met researchers and practitioners from around the world working on invasive species challenges. Seeing that tight-knit global community reaffirmed her interest in the applied practitioner space, which is work that bridges research and real-world solutions.

While graduate school was academically intense, Natalie also found balance at APU. She rediscovered her love for swimming thanks to the university pool and appreciated the steady support system FAST Lab created: a place to collaborate, ask questions, and grow as a scientist.

As she approaches graduation, Natalie is already stepping into her next chapter. She currently serves as the Energy Lead at AKBIRG, a role that deepened her understanding of Alaska’s energy landscape. And beginning in January, she will take on a new position as the Electric Utility Program Manager for the Lake and Peninsula Borough, supporting communities from Lake Iliamna to Chignik Bay. It’s a role that blends her policy interests, scientific training, and passion for supporting Alaska’s future, exactly the kind of work her degree prepared her for.

Her advice to APU students is simple but powerful:
“Your advisor makes all the difference and present your research often. It builds confidence and helps you grow.”

Natalie’s story is one of intentionality, interdisciplinary thinking, and deep care for the places and people of Alaska. We are incredibly proud of the impact she has already made and excited to see where her work takes her next.