Minnesota Sea Grant Science & Policy Fellowship

Minnesota Sea Grant Launches New Science and Policy Fellowship Program

DULUTH, Minn. — The Minnesota Sea Grant College Program is excited to announce the creation of a new statewide Science and Policy Fellowship designed to connect graduate students with natural resource organizations and agencies in Minnesota. 

And we're looking for applicants for the program's 2025 inaugural cohort. 

"This fellowship program aims to develop a skilled workforce capable of addressing Minnesota’s pressing water resource challenges, such as severe weather impacts, water quality improvement, and invasive species management," said Minnesota Sea Grant Research and Fellowship Coordinator Alex Frie

The Minnesota Sea Grant Science and Policy Fellowship will place current and recent graduate students (fellows) in full-time, one-year paid positions with host organizations, where they will apply their scientific expertise to critical water resource issues affecting Minnesotans. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between research and policy by fostering collaboration between emerging scientists and policy-focused organizations. Minnesota Sea Grant anticipates placing at least four fellows in the inaugural 2025-2026 cohort. 

MNSG Science and Policy Fellows will work with and receive mentorship from hosts such as state agencies, legislative committees, tribal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Fellows will receive training from the host, and Fellows will help support the host’s work on a project related to water resource science and/or policy. 

Host organizations will have the opportunity to benefit from the scientific and analytical skills of fellows as they tackle complex environmental challenges alongside staff, contributing to water resource policy development and implementation. 

The Science and Policy Fellowship program is one way MNSG seeks to help meet Minnesota’s science-policy workforce needs, support a pipeline of professionals ready to address complex environmental challenges, and contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of the state’s water resources.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Minnesota Sea Grant is a systemwide program of the University of Minnesota and one of 34 Sea Grant federal-university partnerships across the country that bring applied water science to communities. MNSG has staff and offices on the Duluth and St. Paul campuses. Our extension educators, researchers, and communicators work with community members, local decision-makers, policy leaders, and personnel from resource agencies, business, and industry to enhance the use and conservation of Great Lakes and Minnesota’s inland water resources to create strong and sustainable economies, healthy environments, and resilient and inclusive communities.

CONTACTS:

Alex Frie, research and fellowship coordinator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Duluth, afrie@umn.edu  

Marie Thoms, communications director, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, methoms@d.umn.edu

Image credit: UMN Duluth

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