Student Opportunities

Sea Grant and NOAA support a variety of fellowships. Some are designed to fund graduate research while others provide policy internship opportunities.

All applications must come through the Duluth Sea Grant office, so our due dates supersede those listed on the applications unless otherwise noted. Students are advised to contact Minnesota Sea Grant research coordinator Valerie Brady as soon as they decide to apply for a fellowship so that she can assist with the application process.

Graduate Research Support Fellowships

NOAA NERR Graduate Research Fellowship

Support to conduct masters or doctorate research in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS has 27 locations, including one on Lake Erie and a new location to be added in the St. Louis River estuary of Lake Superior near Superior, WI). Up to 22 fellowships will be awarded at $20,000 per year for up to 3 years. Please note that this application requires applicants to submit a research proposal, so potential applicants are urged to contact Valerie Brady in September 2009 for assistance. Applications are due to Minnesota Sea Grant by Oct. 19, 2009.

National Marine Fisheries Service — Sea Grant Joint Graduate Fellowship Program in Population Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics

These fellowships strengthen ties between Sea Grant and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD program at a U.S. university, and some institutional matching funds are required. Four fellowship awards are usually given, each with 2-3 years of support. Population Dynamics fellows will work on the dynamics of living marine resources and the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing their status. Marine Resource Economics fellows will work on development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the status or economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.

Fellowships include summer internships at participating NMFS Science Centers or Laboratories under the guidance of NMFS mentors. MN Sea Grant will assist applicants in writing a research proposal and locating an appropriate NMFS mentor, so applicants should contact Valerie Brady by early January 2010. Applications are due to Minnesota Sea Grant Feb. 12, 2010.

• Application information for Population Dynamics fellowship (PDF)
• Application information for Marine Resource Economics fellowship (PDF)

Graduate Policy Internship Fellowships

Great Lakes Policy Fellowship

The selected Fellow will work with members of the Great Lakes' science, policy and information/education communities to advance the environmental quality and sustainable economic development goals of the Great Lakes states. In so doing, the Fellow will contribute to and benefit from research coordination and policy analysis activities. The Fellow will be housed at the Great Lakes Commission offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for one year (June 1to May 31). Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program at a U.S. university. Check back later for the 2010 application deadline (deadline is typically in January).

Knauss Fellowship

This fellowhip provides a unique educational experience to students who have an interest in marine/ocean/Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. It is open to all students enrolled in a graduate or professional program in a marine- or aquatic-related field at a U.S.-accredited institution of higher learning. Fellows spend one calendar year (Feb. 1 – Jan. 31) in Washington, DC. The fellowship allows students to share their expertise with policy makers in Washington, and provides a first-hand look at how science is used in the policy arena and how decisions are made. Applicants must contact Valerie Brady by mid-Jan. 2010 to start the application process. Applications are due to Minnesota Sea Grant Feb. 19, 2010.

Minnesota applicants are often successful; we have placed one Knauss Scholar every year for the past 3 years.

NOAA Coastal Management Fellowships for Recent Graduates

Support for recent graduates with a master’s, doctorate, or professional degree to provide assistance to state coastal zone management programs. Fellowships are for two years and match students to projects in one of 6 Atlantic or Pacific coast states. Example projects include: develop and host climate change impact workshops, develop a public access map for Washington State, or apply ecosystem-based management to Maine’s coastal waters. Competitive salary, benefits, travel, and relocation expenses. Degree must be completed between Jan. 1, 2009, and July 31, 2010. Contact Valerie Brady for application assistance. Applications are typically due to Minnesota Sea Grant in January, check back later for more information.