Remembering Anja Sjostrom
The ECU ICP family is saddened by the sudden loss of Integrated Coastal Studies Ph.D. student Anja Sjostrom in January. To know Anja was to feel an immediate warmth when she entered the room. She seemed to have an ever-present smile and was always among the first to lend a helping hand or offer a listening ear…all of this while blazing her own trail through the Ph.D. program and beyond.
Anja was a beloved member of our ECU coastal community and was fully immersed in all that the Outer Banks had to offer. There is no doubt that her compassion for others combined with her extraordinary interest in marine environments and her love for the earth enabled her to excel in her studies while also making connections with all those around her.
Anja’s work embodied CSI’s mission. In her own words, she wanted to “work with partners across multiple research institutions, agencies, and communities on complex coastal issues.” She was particularly interested in how climate change impacts highly migratory fish species and the coastal livelihoods and ecosystems that depend on them. Anja felt that enrolling in the Ph.D. program would help her make a difference in coastal communities and was delighted by the thought of future inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations.
In honor of the legacy she left behind and in memory of her tenacious spirit, the Anja Sjostrom Memorial Scholarship in Coastal Science has been established. The scholarship will provide support for students enrolled in the Integrated Coastal Sciences Ph.D., Semester Experience at the Coast, or other interdisciplinary programs hosted by ECU’s Integrated Coastal Programs.
We extend our most sincere thoughts to Anja’s friends and family during this difficult time. While we mourn the loss of Anja this winter, we find comfort in knowing that she left an impact on whomever she encountered. Her dedication to her studies, her perseverance, her sense of adventure, her joie de vivre…they all live on and inspire the folks of CSI, ECU ICP, and beyond.