Zane Ruzicka: Sea Grant 2026 Knauss Marine Policy Fellow
Zane Ruzicka, a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, has been selected as a 2026 Knauss Marine Policy Fellow. Ruzicka will work in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he will write briefing papers, attend high-level meetings, and manage projects with real policy impact. He joins a cohort of 45 finalists across 26 Sea Grant programs working on marine policy at the federal level in Washington, D.C.
Established by the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program in 1979, the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship is a unique opportunity for graduate students to expand their educational and professional experience with national marine policy at the federal level in Washington, D.C. Finalists were selected through a competitive process that involved review panels composed of national experts in marine science, policy, and education.
“While working on coastal resilience issues with Virginia Sea Grant in 2024, I was informed about the Knauss Fellowship and its amazing opportunities for issue exposure and career building,” said Ruzicka. “What stood out to me most was the opportunity to gain an understanding of how local coastal communities can be enhanced at the highest levels of our government.”
“The Knauss Fellowship opens up so many doors to get familiar with all those involved in the ocean policy process.”
Ruzicka graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in International and Public Affairs and earned a Master of Public Policy from the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at UVA. For his master’s capstone project, Ruzicka studied the Atlantic forage fish crisis and the effects of overharvesting baitfish like menhaden, herring, and mackerel. Ruzicka provided a series of action recommendations to Wild Oceans, a non-profit that prioritizes science and coalition-building to safeguard the future of fishing. These recommendations advised how a non-profit could help advance fishery management by providing information on economic trade-offs and predator-prey relationships.
Ruzicka’s inspiration for pursuing a career in public policy stems from his father, an active-duty officer in the U.S. military for 24 years.
“From his example, I learned how connected the world is, what it means to rise up to a challenge, and the importance of helping those around you, no matter who they are or where they are from,” said Ruzicka.
Prior to the start of his Knauss Fellowship, Ruzicka worked with Virginia’s Coastal Zone Management Program to investigate plastic pellets and best management practices (BMPs) for keeping them out of waterways. Ruzicka wrote several case studies and distilled 30 years of BMPs into a single matrix document that will help inform future plans for managing plastics and marine debris in Virginia.
Ruzicka will transfer the skills he learned from working at a state-level agency to his work on federal-level policy.
“I am looking forward to learning more about and meeting the people who are behind our most challenging coastal and ocean policy issues – including the decision makers, public servants, and constituents,” said Ruzicka. “The Knauss Fellowship opens up so many doors to get familiar with all those involved in the ocean policy process.”
Story by Bayleigh Albert | Virginia Sea Grant
Published June 5, 2026.
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