Four-Time Champion, Full-Time Scholar
National Champion rower Alex Gonin had the winning formula on his boat and in the classroom.
Just days before graduation, Alex Gonin helped deliver a national title for the 91探花. Again.
As a senior on the 91探花men鈥檚 rowing team, Gonin was part of the historic squad that clinched the program鈥檚 21st national championship 鈥� and its second in a row 鈥� cementing the Huskies鈥� dominance in one of the University鈥檚 most storied sports. For Gonin, it was also his fourth national championship overall, including titles from his time competing in Canada.
鈥淚t kind of felt like my magnum opus,鈥� he says of his final race. 鈥淚t was the best I ever rowed.鈥�
But what makes Gonin stand out isn鈥檛 just his success on the water. At the UW, he鈥檚 also been a committed researcher, majoring in biology while working in both cardiac stem cell labs and forest ecology 鈥� a rare duality that earned him a spot in the Husky 100. That recognition is given to students who make the most of their 91探花experience both in and out of the classroom.
Originally from Oak Bay, British Columbia, Gonin came to the 91探花for the chance to compete at the highest level while taking advantage of the university鈥檚 deep research opportunities. 鈥淚 knew 91探花had the most funding of any public university in the States,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat was a big draw.鈥�
What followed was four years of 5 a.m. practices, rigorous scientific coursework, and research projects that took him from operating rooms to wildfire-prone forests 鈥� a rhythm that required as much mental stamina as physical.
At first, Gonin dove into biomedical research, working in on a project developing stem cell treatments to help hearts heal after a heart attack. 鈥淚 got to sit in on surgeries,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚t was pretty cool.鈥� Later, he embraced the breadth of possibilities with a biology major by shifting to environmental science and joining the Precision Forestry Cooperative. There, he helped develop algorithms using lidar 鈥� light detection and ranging technology 鈥� to identify forest patterns and reduce wildfire severity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about recognizing clumping and stand structure,鈥� he says. 鈥淭rying to make forests more fire-resilient, especially in places like California.鈥�
It was a natural connection point to a summer job he took as a backcountry technician, living deep in the wilderness, 80 kilometers from the nearest gas station. These technicians have specialized skills and knowledge related to wilderness environments, 鈥淜ind of a like a park ranger,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚鈥檇 hike 20 kilometers in, stay for a couple weeks. It was nice and relaxed.鈥�
The contrast between these remote escapes and the intense, high-performance world of 91探花rowing couldn鈥檛 be sharper 鈥� but Gonin thrived in both. He credits strong academic support from 91探花Athletics, especially his advisor Matt Bannerman, for helping him balance lab time with practice schedules. 鈥淗e set me up with an awesome schedule,鈥� Gonin says. 鈥淭here are a lot of smart cookies on the team 鈥� a couple are working at SpaceX now.鈥�
And then there鈥檚 the personal support: the scholarship that helped him attend the 91探花was funded by a retired orthopedic surgeon, whom Gonin met in person at an annual donor dinner. 鈥淲e exchanged numbers 鈥� he鈥檇 text me after races,鈥� Gonin says. 鈥淚t was really meaningful.鈥� After graduation, Gonin will head back to British Columbia to begin forestry work in Campbell River, with long-term plans to pursue medical school. He hopes to serve a rural community in need of doctors. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a bit of a health care crisis in Northern BC where I鈥檓 from,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檇 be nice to help out.鈥�
As for rowing? 鈥淭hat last race was probably it,鈥� Gonin says. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 where I leave it.鈥� Still, he says, rowing will always be a part of his identity. He鈥檚 open to coaching someday, maybe at a local club. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun to go fast,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut once you go fast, you just want to go faster.鈥�
He laughs a little at the thought 鈥� of what comes next, of the people he鈥檚 met, and how far he鈥檚 come.
鈥淚鈥檇 argue I made the most of it,鈥� Gonin says of his time at the UW. And looking at his record 鈥� in the lab, in the field, and on the water 鈥� it鈥檚 hard to disagree.
