See full details at https://seagrant.noaa.gov/NMFS-SG-Fellowship
The application period for 2022 fellowships is now open!
Contact your state Sea Grant program to begin the application process.
More details below. Review the 2022 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Student Guide and the Student Applicant Guide to Sea Grant Fellowships for application preparation tips.
NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Overview 2021 (PDF download)
The NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics is designed to help Sea Grant fulfill its broad educational responsibilities and to strengthen the collaboration between Sea Grant and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Since 1990, Sea Grant and NMFS have partnered to train students through this joint fellowship program in two specialized areas: population and ecosystem dynamics as well as marine resource economics. Population and ecosystem dynamics involve the study of fish populations and marine ecosystems to better assess fishery stock conditions and dynamics.
The goals of the NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship Program are:
- To encourage qualified applicants to pursue careers in either population and ecosystem dynamics and stock assessment or in marine resource economics
- To increase available expertise related to these fields
- To foster closer relationships between academic scientists and NOAA Fisheries
- To provide real-world experience to graduate students and accelerate their career development.
Read the announcement of 2021 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellows
Applying to the Fellowship
Eligibility
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships are available to U.S. citizens who are graduate students enrolled in or provisionally accepted to Ph.D. degree programs in academic institutions in the United States and its territories. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. Foreign Nationals are not eligible.
Length of Fellowship
The fellowship can provide support for up to three years for highly qualified graduate students working towards a Ph.D. in population dynamics, ecosystem dynamics, resource or environmental economics, or a related field such as wildlife biology, fishery biology, natural resource management, marine biology, quantitative ecology, applied mathematics, applied statistics, or simulation modeling.
How to Apply
Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 pm local time on January 27, 2022.
Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics anticipates funding at least four new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2022 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.
Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics anticipates funding one new Ph.D. Fellowship in 2022 to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.
For a list of required application materials and evaluation criteria, see the 2022 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Student Guide.
Award and Expenses
The award for each Fellowship, contingent upon the availability of federal funds, will be in the form of a grant or cooperative agreement of up to $54,166 in federal funding plus at least 20% matching funding per year. This fellowship can provide support for up to three years. The award provided to each Fellow is for stipend, tuition, fees, equipment, supplies, and travel necessary to carry out the proposed research and to attend the annual Fellows meeting (at rotating locations).
Connecting with Sea Grant programs and NOAA Fisheries Science Centers
Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant program in their state/territory at least one month prior to the state application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of intent to apply.
Applicants enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program in a state or territory served by a Sea Grant Program must submit to that program. Applicants in states or territories without a Sea Grant program must submit their applications to the Sea Grant program to which they were referred to by the NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program Manager, who can be reached at OAR.SG.Fellows@noaa.gov or (240) 507-3712.
To help achieve the goals of the fellowship, each Fellow will be required to work closely with an expert (mentor) from NOAA Fisheries who will serve on the Fellow’s committee. The mentor may also provide access to research data sources and to working/laboratory space in a NOAA Fisheries research facility and/or research vessel, if appropriate. Staff lists and recent publications for each of the NOAA Fisheries Science Centers are listed on each Center’s website, linked below. Applicants in the Great Lakes region or in an area without a NOAA Fisheries Science Center may contact a potential mentor whose research aligns with their own.
Alaska Fisheries Science Center (staff, publications); Northwest Fisheries Science Center (staff, publications); Southwest Fisheries Science Center (staff, publications); Northeast Fisheries Science Center (staff, publications), Southeast Fisheries Science Center (staff, publications); Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (publications)
For more information, please contact your local Sea Grant Program or OAR.SG.Fellows@noaa.gov / (240) 507-3712.