Joel A. Markis, M.S.

Growing up in Southcentral Alaska, Joel was continuously exposed to the outdoors and fisheries. After graduating from Bartlett High School in Anchorage, he pursued a growing passion for fisheries by attending Montana State University in Bozeman, MT, where he honed his skiing and fly fishing skills, but also received a B.S. in Fish and Wildlife Management. During his senior year at MSU Joel participated in the National Student Exchange attending Florida International University in Miami Florida. While at FIU Joel studied marine biology and tropical ecology and tied it all together attaining his Master SCUBA Diver certification. After graduating, the newfound knowledge allowed Joel to work various fisheries jobs all over Alaska, traveling to exotic places all under the context of 'work.' After spending time in places like Katmai, Aniakchak, Kenai Fjords, Denali, the Tongass, and Wrangell St. Elias he decided to pursue a graduate degree in Marine Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he used SCUBA to study the nearshore fish and habitat complexity in Kachemak Bay.

Before coming to the UA system, Joel worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, helping manage sportfish resources in southcentral Alaska and then working as a research fisheries biologist with the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve in Homer, AK. While there he studied marine ecology and questions pertaining to fish habitat use in the nearshore environment. Joel also coordinated a nationwide water quality and meteorological monitoring project and worked on hardshell clam recruitment and growth studies focused on determining the timing of spawning, recruitment and growth of pacific littleneck clams.

Joel has been with the Fisheries Technology Program since 2013 when he was an outreach coordinator and adjunct faculty at the Homer, AK campus. Since moving to Sitka, AK in 2014 Joel has worked into a tenured track position and now directs the Fisheries Technology Program. In his free time, Joel enjoys backcountry skiing, fishing, sailing, is an avid SCUBA diver and dive instructor, and generally likes spending time outside. He is passionate about teaching and Alaskan fisheries. Joel currently lives in Sitka with his two young daughters and wife Courtney.