Susan McDougall

I grew up in Seattle and my connection to the natural world has been of sustained interest and a source of comfort throughout my life. My academic background encompassed studies in math and science at the University of Washington and this lead, in time, led to a career as a software engineer in the aerospace industry. But always a love of the outdoors and the desire to learn about what I encountered remained.

With retirement, I could pursue that nascent passion through writing and art. Sometimes the writing has involved travel and photography, as with my arboretum book – Trees Live Here; the Arboretums of America. Following my move to the north Olympic Peninsula, I developed a deep and passionate interest in the conservation of northwest salmon species. The result was another book, Circled Life: Salmon of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On a more personal level, the research and reminiscences of a sea captain grandfather and a fisherman father have provided me the inspiration of lives well-lived. Thus, two more books: Steam Builds an Empire – A History of Steamboats on Puget Sound and With Love – Memories of My Father.