ABOUT
Region of the resilient
Welcome to one of the last best places, home of the world’s richest waters. There’s no place in the world quite like ours. If you put a pin in the ground, we challenge you to find another place with more within 100 miles: glaciers, 12 distinct ecosystems, a pristine rainforest the size of some East Coast states, and rivers full of world-famous Copper River salmon. We believe that research here is a rare opportunity to study something pure vs. something that’s been lost.
We look at the big picture and pull it all together. That’s what sets us apart. We’re committed to understanding how one place on earth can maintain a reliable economy and natural environment for the long term. We endeavor to consider science, economy, climate and people with nearly every step, and we use collaboration and systems-thinking to address the global nature of today’s challenges.
We invite you – donors, researchers, partners, funders, elected officials, citizens – to join us in better understanding one of the world’s last, great natural regions, home of the world’s richest waters.
Vision
The Prince William Sound Science Center envisions communities that maintain socioeconomic resilience among healthy ecosystems.
There are two outcomes inherent in our vision. The first is socio-economically resilient communities: This outcome requires the region to support the livelihoods of its citizens. The second outcome is healthy ecosystems: This outcome requires users of the region’s ecosystems to steward renewable resources with consideration for natural cycles and systemic change.
Mission
Our mission is to advance community resilience and the understanding and sustainable use of ecosystems.
We are unbiased in our approach, and we approach all projects with the attitude that they can lead to positive impacts, sustainable use of resources, and a resilient region.
1986
A group of Cordova fishermen, scientists and resource managers begin sharing bad coffee and explorin...
1988
Local leaders commit to develop a community-based organization as a repository for knowledge gained ... 
1989
Exxon Valdez runs aground on Bligh Reef, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude into Prince ... 
Earth Day 1989
Legal papers for the creation of the Prince William Sound Science Center are filed. The City of Cord... 
1990
Our nonprofit subsidiary, the Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI) is created via provisions in the O... 
1993
Sixty commercial fishing boats blockade the Valdez narrows, stopping oil tanker traffic and demand m... 
1995-2005
Research programs expand as this place is recognized as a global environmental stronghold critical t... 
2010
The PWSSC purchases the 39-foot research vessel New Wave for surveys in Prince William Sound and the... 
2012
The PWSSC partners with NASA and USGS to look at carbon and glaciers in the face of climate change. ... 
2013
The PWSSC begins long-term research into one of the world’s keystone species – wild Pacific salm... 
2014
Education programs continue to grow. Oil spill curriculum, marine robotics, “Field Notes” radio ... 
2015
After decades of work, we dive deeper into the topic of resilience – what it means, and what it ta... 
2016
Our long-term research confirms the obvious: the ocean is, in fact, much warmer. Returning fish are ... Staff
Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Angela ButlerChair
Eyak Corporation, General Manager, Cordova Operations
Cordova (2012-‘15, 2015-’18)
Andrew Smallwood
1st Vice Chair
Area E Seiner
Cordova (2010-’13, 2013-’16, 2016-'19)
Caryn Rea
2nd Vice Chair
Retired
Conoco Phillips (2016-’19)
Margaret Stock
Treasurer
Cascadia Cross-Border Law Group , LLC
Anchorage (2014-’16, 2016-'19)
Laura Meadors
Secretary
Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Director
Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. (2014- ‘17)
BOARD MEMBERS EMERITUS
Nolan WatsonSenior Vice President
McLellan & Copenhagen, Seattle – PWSSC Board member (1992- ‘03)
ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS
Katrina HoffmanPresident/CEO
Prince William Sound Science Center
Cordova, Ex-officio member
Douglas Causey, Ph.D
Professor of Biological Sciences
University of Alaska Anchorage (2012- ’15, 2015-’18)
Mike Mahoney
Area E Drift Gillnetter
Cordova (2010-'13, 2013- ‘16, 2016-'19)
Clarence Pautzke, Ph.D.
Retired Executive Director
North Pacific Research Board Anchorage (2011–’14, 2014-’17)
Jeffrey M. Welker, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences
University of Alaska Anchorage (2009- ‘14, 2014-’17)
Todd Telesz.
Senior Vice President; Power, Energy & Utilities
CoBank (2017-'20)
Craig Tillery
Deputy Attorney General, Retired
Alaska Department of Law (2017-'20)
Sheyna S. Wisdom.
General Manager and Senior Scientist
Fairweather Science LLC (2017-'20)
Publications
E-Newsletters
August 2015
November 2014
September 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
October 2013
July 2013
April 2013
PDF Newsletters
Fall 2012
Spring 2012
Fall 2011
Spring 2011
Summer 2010
Fall 2009
Spring 2009
Fall 2008
Spring 2008
Winter 2007
Calendar
Financials
Here you’ll find our most recent IRS form 990 and audited financial statement. If you’re in need for further financial statements or reports, please contact us.
DOWNLOAD 990DOWNLOAD FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Partners
Partners are vital to our work. The majority of our work is based on partnership and collaboration, and we work with dozens of organizations and state and federal agencies to achieve our goals. An example is our work with theAlaska Ocean Observing System to pilot a PWS Observing System (PWSOS) project. The goal of this project is to provide easily accessible data about the past, current and future of Alaska’s oceans and coastal waters. As part of an evolving national program, this system currently includes web cams, meteorological data, ocean observations and ocean and atmospheric models.
One of our most important partnerships is with the Prince William Sound Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI), a support research, education, and demonstration organization designed to respond to and understand the effects of oil spills in the Arctic and sub-Arctic marine environments. The PWSCC administers OSRI, and OSRI is run by PWSSC CEO Katrina Hoffman.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Experimental Forecast Facility – Univ. of Alaska Anchorage
Alaska SeaGrant Marine Advisory Program
Copper River Watershed Project
Exxon-Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council
Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation
Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council
School of Fisheries and Ocean Science, University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
PWS Nowcast Forecast Ocean Model and (EPWS/NFS) Extended PWS Nowcast Forecast Ocean Model
JOBS
The mission of the Prince William Sound Science Center is to advance the understanding and sustainable use of ecosystems in the Northern Gulf of Alaska. Our vision: communities that maintain socioeconomic resilience among healthy ecosystems — both here, and everywhere.
Want to make a difference? Think you’re a fit for our mission and vision? If yes, we’d love to hear from you. We encourage you to check this page regularly for employment and volunteer opportunities.
VIEW JOBS