Citizen science program visits Unalaska, aiming to train locals how to count beached birds

By Sofia Stuart-Rasi

Published May 29, 2026 at 2:05 PM AKDT

The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, also known as COASST, is a citizen science program based at the University of Washington that focuses on beach environments in the North Pacific. The group is hosting a beached bird training on Sunday from 1:00-5:30 p.m. at the PCR.

Volunteers in the program collect data on dead marine birds that wash ashore, helping scientists track the health of the North Pacific Ocean. A science background isn’t necessary to participate.

For this episode of Island Interviews, KUCB’s Sofia Stuart-Rasi sat down with Allie Brown, the participant coordinator for COASST, to learn what the training involves and how the data is used to document history.

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Sofia Stuart-Rasi

Sofia was born and raised in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She’s reported around the U.S. for local public radio stations, NPR and National Native News. Sofia has a Master of Arts in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism from the University of Montana, a graduate certificate in Documentary Studies from the Salt Institute and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder. In between her studies, Sofia was a ski bum in Telluride, Colorado for a few years.

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