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 University of Washington. Again.
As a senior on the UW men’s rowing team, Gonin was part of the historic squad that clinched the program’s 21st national championship — and its second in a row — cementing the Huskies’ dominance in one of the University’s most storied sports. For Gonin, it was also his fourth national championship overall, including titles from his time competing in Canada.
“It kind of felt like my magnum opus,” he says of his final race. “It was the best I ever rowed.”
But what makes Gonin stand out isn’t just his success on the water. At the UW, he’s also been a committed researcher, majoring in biology while working in both cardiac stem cell labs and forest ecology — a rare duality that earned him a spot in the Husky 100. That recognition is given to students who make the most of their UW experience both in and out of the classroom.
Originally from Oak Bay, British Columbia, Gonin came to the UW for the chance to compete at the highest level while taking advantage of the university’s deep research opportunities. “I knew UW had the most funding of any public university in the States,” he says. “That was a big draw.”
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 — a rhythm that required as much mental stamina as physical.
At first, Gonin dove into biomedical research, working in UW’s Murray Lab on a project developing stem cell treatments to help hearts heal after a heart attack. “I got to sit in on surgeries,” he recalls. “It was pretty cool.” 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 — light detection and ranging technology — to identify forest patterns and reduce wildfire severity.
“It’s all about recognizing clumping and stand structure,” he says. “Trying to make forests more fire-resilient, especially in places like California.”
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, “Kind of a like a park ranger,” he explains. “I’d hike 20 kilometers in, stay for a couple weeks. It was nice and relaxed.”
The contrast between these remote escapes and the intense, high-performance world of UW rowing couldn’t be sharper — but Gonin thrived in both. He credits strong academic support from UW Athletics, especially his advisor Matt Bannerman, for helping him balance lab time with practice schedules. “He set me up with an awesome schedule,” Gonin says. “There are a lot of smart cookies on the team — a couple are working at SpaceX now.”
And then there’s the personal support: the scholarship that helped him attend the UW was funded by a retired orthopedic surgeon, whom Gonin met in person at an annual donor dinner. “We exchanged numbers — he’d text me after races,” Gonin says. “It was really meaningful.” 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. “There’s a bit of a health care crisis in Northern BC where I’m from,” he says. “It’d be nice to help out.”
As for rowing? “That last race was probably it,” Gonin says. “I think that’s where I leave it.” Still, he says, rowing will always be a part of his identity. He’s open to coaching someday, maybe at a local club. “It’s really fun to go fast,” he says. “But once you go fast, you just want to go faster.”
He laughs a little at the thought — of what comes next, of the people he’s met, and how far he’s come.
“I’d argue I made the most of it,” Gonin says of his time at the UW. And looking at his record — in the lab, in the field, and on the water — it’s hard to disagree.
