In this interview, Miguel Sanchez explores his experience in the fishing industry, beginning with his journey of jumping ship from a Cuban fishing boat into a Canadian boat while he was a young law student to escape political dictatorship. He then speaks about living in Nova Scotia for years without his family before immigrating to America to work in the netting and rigging department of Reidar’s Trawl-Scallop Gear and Marine Supply in New Bedford, MA.

Anthony Nguyen is both Vietnamese and Filipino and works in a managerial accounting role. He has ties to the fishing industry through his current job and his father’s occupation as a scalloper in the industry. Anthony is being interviewed by Genesis Galan on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at his workplace, NORPEL, a processing center for seafood and other meats used in pet food. In the interview, he discusses his early involvement in the fishing industry during high school and the difficulties he experienced as a result of his father’s decisions.

In this interview, LaVerne Gomes begins by speaking about growing up in Wareham, Massachusetts, before moving to New Bedford, where she was raised by a single mother in a large Cape Verdean family. After dropping out of school at the age of 16, she pursued work in the Frionor Kitchen in New Bedford, where she worked in the cold fish house for 27 years, preparing frozen fish as it came off the conveyor belt.

In this interview, Silvina “Sal” Sequeira speaks about immigrating from Cape Verde to Portugal as a child with his family and then from Portugal to the United States with his wife as an adult. He discusses his luck in having the opportunity to learn how to weld, which helped him obtain the job he has held as an industrial welder for 27 years at Blue Fleet Welding in New Bedford, MA. He talks about how physically demanding his job is but also notes that he relishes the challenges and is happiest when his work requires a variety of skills and knowledge.

On April 23, 1999, Laura Cochran interviewed Irwin Abrams at his home in Acton, Massachusetts, for the Simmons College Oral History Archives. Abrams, a meteorologist, discusses his career trajectory, starting with his education at New York University and his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. He describes his entry into the meteorology field through the Air Force’s meteorology program and his first assignment in the Azores, where his forecasting skills were crucial for military flight operations during the Berlin Blockade.

On May 29, 2001, Gene Bierly interviewed Robert C. Cowen in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the American Meteorological Society’s Tape Recorded Interview Project. Born in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1927, Cowen describes his upbringing in Boston and his educational journey, which led him to study meteorology at MIT. Cowen discusses his decision to switch from aeronautical engineering to meteorology, his experiences at MIT during and after World War II, and his relationships with influential figures in the meteorology department, such as Tom Malone, Henry Houghton, and Victor Starr.

On February 11, 1988, John S. Perry interviewed Dr. Thomas F. Malone for the American Meteorological Society and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. The interview, conducted at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge, Massachusetts, explores Malone’s early life, career, and contributions to meteorology. Raised on a ranch in South Dakota, Malone was influenced by his father’s practical interest in weather forecasting and telecommunication.

On March 31, 1999, Laura Cochran interviewed Evelyn Mazur about her 46-year career with the American Meteorological Society (AMS). Mazur discusses her entry into AMS in the 1950s, initially managing subscriptions for meteorological and geophysical abstracts sponsored by the U.S. government. She describes the growth of AMS publications, the expansion of the society’s membership and international reach, and the increasing importance of hydrology and radar research.

On March 13, 1999, Laura Cochrane interviewed Ralph Papirno at his home in Needham, Massachusetts, for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and the American Meteorological Society Interview Project. Papirno discusses his experiences working as a meteorologist during World War II, detailing his decision to enter meteorology training as an alternative to combat roles. He recounts his prior education, holding a B.A. in mathematics and chemistry from New York University, and his initial employment teaching aircraft propeller maintenance at Chanute Field in Illinois.

On December 12, 2023, Sarah Weeks interviewed Brian Hockstrasser for the Accompanied At Sea: Voices from the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program project. Hockstrasser, who grew up in Stony Brook, New York, has always been passionate about the marine world. The interview begins with Hockstrasser recounting his early experiences around water, including maintaining a saltwater fish tank with his brother using locally caught marine species. His first job at 15 was at a nature center, where he conducted environmental tours and worked on shellfish restoration projects.