Above: VASG Graduate Research Fellow and Old Dominion University master’s student Hannah Aichelman gets ready to dive Kiptokeake State Park for corrals. Read more about Aichelman’s research project here. Photo Credit: VASG/Ian Vorster.
New Fellowship Opportunities
Also visiting your university to field questions
Each fall Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) releases a range of fellowship opportunities that are open to Virginia students who are engaged in coastal- or marine-related research, as well as soon-to-be graduates who are searching for exciting opportunities to build the professional skills essential to their successful careers. This year is no different, and we are excited to announce that VASG is now accepting applications for three fellowship programs including: the VASG Graduate Research Fellowship, Commonwealth Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship, and the Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. And VASG anticipates the official release of additional national Sea Grant fellowships later this fall—the NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship, and the NMFS-Sea Grant Population & Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics Fellowships—and one joint, state VASG-ClarkNexsen Coastal Resilience Research Fellowship.
VASG will be visiting each partner university in October to host information sessions for interested students. During the sessions, the VASG Fellowship & Research Program Coordinator, Sam Lake will highlight each fellowship, cover the application process and tips, and answer questions. Lake notes, “Virginia’s strong academic institutions prepare their students to become future leaders, and we are thrilled to be able to support those students in their academic and professional development. Whether they are preparing their first research proposal or drafting a post-graduate fellowship application the on-campus sessions will be helpful and informative.”
If you are interested in applying for any of the fellowship programs supported by VASG or would just like to find out more, we encourage you to attend one of VASG’s upcoming fellowship information sessions in October. Interested attendees must register in advance, by filling out this online form.
FELLOWSHIP INFORMATION SESSIONS
- George Mason University: 10/18 at 12:30 pm (David King Hall Room 3006; RSVP by 10/04)
- James Madison University: 10/11 at 1:30 pm (Bioscience Room 2009; RSVP by 10/06)
- Old Dominion University: 10/16 at 11:30 am (Zaneveld Conference Room, OCNPS Room 404 ; RSVP by 10/11)
- University of Virginia: 10/13 at 12:00 pm (Newcomb Hall Room 389; RSVP by 10/09)
- Virginia Commonwealth University: 10/09 at 12:00 pm (Life Sciences Building Room 253; RSVP by 10/03)
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science: 10/06 at 12:00 pm (Watermen’s Hall Classroom A/B; RSVP by 10/02)
- Virginia Tech: 10/10 at 12:00 pm (Seitz Hall Room 206; RSVP by 10/05)
To learn more about the fellowship programs supported by VASG, click the images below.
POST-GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
The post-graduate Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship provides a unique educational experience in the policies and processes of the federal government to graduate students with interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and national policy. Fellows are placed in various executive and legislative branch offices throughout Washington, D.C. The fellowship period is one year beginning in February.
Commonwealth Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship
Modeled after the Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, this 12-month fellowship is intended to provide educational and professional development opportunities for post-graduates interested in Virginia’s coastal and marine resources. Fellows will receive on-the-job training by working with a Virginia host office to address pressing coastal and marine resource issues, while learning about the policy and management process occurring at the state level.
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS
Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellowships
The Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellowship is open to full-time graduate students at any Virginia academic institution who are engaged in coastal and marine research relevant to Virginia and the Virginia Sea Grant strategic plan. In addition to supporting the student’s academic expenses, the fellowship will provide additional professional development opportunities throughout its duration, focusing on science communication, science-to-management process, team science, outreach, and other Sea Grant activities and mission priorities.
Coastal Resilience Research Fellowship
Virginia Sea Grant, in partnership with Clark Nexsen, is excited to support a paid summer fellowship opportunity focused on coastal resiliency research in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The fellowship is open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students, and is aimed at training students to become leaders in innovative, pre-disaster, resiliency design strategies. The selected fellow engages in a research project related to resilient design or coastal flooding adaptation strategies, and is partnered with a design department and Clark Nexsen professional mentor relevant to their area of study (e.g., engineering, architecture, GIS, etc.). Throughout the fellowship, there are opportunities to partner with local institutions and participate in resilience events with VASG, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, Old Dominion University, Wetlands Watch, Hampton Roads Regional Planning Commission, and other members of the Hampton Roads resilience and adaptation community.
