The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant’s founders and former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with “hosts” in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one-year paid fellowship.
Any student, regardless of citizenship, is eligible to submit to this opportunity if:
The student is enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2021 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and February 18, 2022;
The graduate degree will be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. Territories, and;
The student has an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
Dr. Janoff led all hearing preparations, including pressing the Coast Guard, Federal Maritime Commission, and Maritime Administration on their budget requests, setting the list of hearing topics, writing the Summary of Subject Material for Members/Member staff on the subcommittee and full committee.
Dr. Janoff attended the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Hearing – “Impacts of Shipping Container Shortages, Delays, and Increased Demand on the North American Supply Chain.” He scoped/brainstormed hearing topics, interviewed potential witnesses, curated multiple witness panels, wrote opening speeches for Chairs DeFazio and Carbajal, drafted witness questions for Chairs DeFazio and Carbajal, printed and prepared binders with all hearing materials for Chairs DeFazio and Carbajal, and the Staff Directors for both the committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Christophe Tulou, Senior Counsel/Policy Director for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (Left); Dr. Arye Janoff, Knauss Marine Policy Fellow for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation (Right).
He reviewed, tracked, and provided feedback on Member Designated Projects for Chair DeFazio’s INVEST in America Act, a $715 billion surface transportation reauthorization and water infrastructure bill. Provided policy guidance to member offices on climate change adaptation and mitigation legislative language for amendments to the INVEST in America Act.
He participated in a roundtable strategy/tracking discussion on possible legislative provisions for the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 with CGMT subcommittee staff.
He staffed the CG&MT subcommittee on various agency briefs and held numerous informational interviews.
He volunteered as a notetaker/participant for NOAA’s Science Advisory Board Leadership in Coastal Resilience workshop with coastal scientists, practitioners, managers, and policymakers.
He serves as a professional mentor for undergraduates in NOAA Sea Grant’s Community Engagement Internship (CEI) program.
JANINE M. BARR is pursuing an M.S. in Oceanography at Rutgers University.
She is currently a staffer at the New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center where she provides municipal planning support to New Jersey coastal towns interested in becoming more resilient to climate change. She also analyzed coastal states’ ocean acidification research and policy actions in consultation with NJ’s Department of Environmental Protection to inform relevant state policy efforts. She was a Science and Research Education Fellow at the US EPA where she assisted the Office of Water’s implementation of water quality standards to protect fresh and marine water consistent with state and federal regulations.
She has pursued professional and academic experiences at the interface of policy, science, and stakeholder engagement regarding our nation’s aquatic and marine resources. This includes research experience in oyster aquaculture at Rutgers University, and training as a Rutgers Coastal Climate Risk and Resilience (C2R2) Fellow.
Specifically, she is interested in the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program because she would like to further her understanding of how federal offices balance the conservation and management of our nation’s marine resources and how stakeholder collaboration is incorporated into policy decisions.
SCHUYLER C. NARDELLI is presently pursuing her Ph.D. in Oceanography at Rutgers University
She spent a year in Antarctica with research focusing on the impacts of climate change on Antarctic plankton and how future change will affect ecosystem dynamics. In 2019, she joined the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research’s Krill Action Group, which serves as a link between the krill science community and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, which manages the Southern Ocean krill fishery.
Living in Antarctica presented many opportunities to directly demonstrate the importance of her research through public outreach. Giving talks aboard cruise ships and to the Palmer Station community with receding glaciers as a backdrop is a powerful way to spur interest in conservation efforts, with hopes that these interactions translate to action when these people return home. Her time in Antarctica helped her realize that beyond her research, she wants to be involved in making impactful decisions regarding conservation and protection of marine ecosystems threatened by anthropogenic influences. Her motivation for applying to the Knauss Fellowship to pursue a career in marine policy.
ASHLYN SPECTOR expects to receive an M.S. in Geology in September 2021 from Rutgers University.
She has been studying beach elevation and sediment change using drone imagery to understand erosion. Although pursuing geoscience, she wants to dedicate time outside of her thesis toward planning and policy work to utilize knowledge in both fields. Her pursuits have become focused on coastal resilience-based projects, such as the development of a flood risk visualization tool for the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the development of coastal resilience assessments for local communities.
It is important to her to incorporate equity in coastal resilience decision-making so that policies enacted do not only benefit those with the largest influence but will actively serve community members who are often under-represented. She plans to expand her career serving coastal communities by partnering with them and the state to understand their needs and their current and future risks. She intends to facilitate this using her skills in communication and knowledge of current state and federal policies to meet communities’ needs while helping them become more physically and socially resilient.
She feels that the fellowship offers a saturated amount of information in a condensed timeline, allowing her to gain knowledge and experience that would otherwise take years to learn.
ELIZABETH K. WRIGHT-FAIRBANKS is a Ph.D. candidate in Oceanography at the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University.
Her focus has been to develop novel ocean acidification research, stakeholder collaboration and outreach, and leadership in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in science. She
investigated the dynamics of ocean physics, biology, and carbonate chemistry as they relate to commercially important habitat.
She is now training technicians, students, and tenured faculty at three other universities on
methods to deploy this new technology, analyze physical and chemical ocean data, and ensure
best practices and quality control. She wants to apply these skills to cultivate a career in policy where she can promote and incentivize socially impactful marine research.
She mentors first-year students who identify as underrepresented in STEM, providing a support network that helps them navigate the transition to graduate school in hopes that it will improve long-term retention of underrepresented scientists.
Her ultimate goal is a career in science policy, where she can drive the field toward both impactful science and collaboration with outreach-focused groups to ensure those impacts are meaningful to stakeholders.
The Knauss Fellowship offers that first-hand experience providing invaluable insight and networking opportunities in a federal office which will help her achieve her next career goal of serving as a NOAA program manager.
NJSGC’s 2021 Knauss fellow Arye Janoff has been busy last month. He presented a keynote presentation at the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System 2021 Annual Meeting as the recipient of the Jaia Syvitski 2021 Student Modeler Award.
He attended staff meetings and conducted interviews with the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee. He held informational interviews with the California Coastal Commission, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research Development Center (ERDC), American Bird Conservancy, National Ocean Protection Coalition, RRM Designs (planning consultancy), and others.
He staffed the CG&MT subcommittee on various agency briefs (i.e., Coast Guard, Government Accountability Office, Maritime Administration, Centers for Disease Control, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection etc.)
He attended and participated in policy meetings with the Administration and House Leadership on the American Jobs Plan. He took a course on markup procedures from Committee Clerk in preparation for upcoming bill markups.
He helped to draft a letter to President Biden and Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Customs and Border Protection determinations on the Jones Act.
He plans to visit the West Coast in August with stops at many ports in California, Oregon and Washington.
Dr. Arye Janoff is the 2021 Knauss Fellow working with the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
He recently visited the Port of Baltimore along with officials from the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Port of Baltimore and Ports America Chesapeake. They visited the marine terminals and the dredge containment management facilities at Masonville and Cox Creek. Inflow from the Seagirt dredging project was in full operation at Masonville. During the visit the Ever Faith of Evergreen, a 12,000 TEU container ship called on the Port. He is pictured third from right with officials during the visit.
Arye was awarded the 2021 Syvitski Student Modeler award for his submission “From Coastal Retreat to Seaward Growth: Emergent Behaviors from Paired Community Beach Nourishment Choices.”
NJSGC will host an informational “Knauss 101” Zoom meeting with Acting Director Dr. Peter Rowe on Wednesday, January 6th at 10 a.m. Please contact our Communications Specialist for more information on how to join the session.
For more information on the fellowship, please visit our website.
The notice of federal funding opportunity for the 2022 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship is now open. The fellowship provides a one-year, paid experience for highly-qualified early career professionals to work on issues related to coastal, marine and Great Lakes science and policy in offices within the executive or legislative branch of government in Washington, D.C.
Graduate students interested in marine science policy should explore the information about the fellowship as soon as possible and talk to their local Sea Grant program (or the National Sea Grant Office) at least one month prior to the February 19, 2021 deadline.To be eligible for the 2022 fellowship (which lasts February 1, 2022 through January 31, 2023):
A student must be enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2020 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and February 19, 2021;
The student’s graduate degree program must be through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. Territories;
Students are eligible regardless of nationality; domestic and international students at accredited U.S. institutions may apply; and
Applicants must have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
Please share this opportunity with colleagues, friends and potential applicants!
NJSGC Knauss Fellow Michael Acquafredda (Rutgers University, Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory) enjoyed just six weeks at the Silver Spring office before having to telework. Thankfully, he’s still getting a lot accomplished remotely.
(To learn more about the 2020 Knauss Fellows from NJSGC, please click here)
Dealing with international affairs, Acquafredda has been busy working with the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON). He works in the Secretariat, putting out newsletters, organizing meetings with its executive committee, and serving as a point of contact for its membership. He also supports the needs of some of the regional hubs of GOA-ON, including the Latin American Hub, the Pacific Islands Hub, and the North American Hub. Acquafredda acts as Coordinator for the GOA-ON Pier2Peer Program, a professional mentorship program. He continues reshaping the matching process to give mentees more opportunities to select mentors whose interests and expertise align with their own. Additionally, he publishes the monthly Pier Review, a newsletter that highlights the work of successful P2P pairs and shares information about relevant news and events, upcoming funding opportunities, and the latest ocean acidification-related open access articles.
He’s also been helping to organize the 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World, which is now postponed. To maintain momentum, the symposium’s steering committee and the GOA-ON executive committee are discussing the possibility of hosting a virtual “Ocean Acidification Week”, which would be a series of publically-available webinars and panels. Acquafredda’s working hard to transform this idea into a well-organized and impactful event by September.
On the bilateral front, Acquafredda’s managing a joint funding initiative of NOAA OAP and DFO to enhance collaboration between ocean acidification researchers in the USA and Canada. He’s had the opportunity to write the RFP for this initiative, and is now reviewing proposals and organizing a selection panel.
Finally, his work around capacity building efforts in the Pacific Islands has been slow and limited, mostly due to COVID-19 related delays. The funding from the Department of State was secured, so now they’re working towards distributing funds to its partner, The Ocean Foundation.
Along with all of those initiatives, Acquafredda is also busy with the domestic side of his portfolio. He’s working closely with the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network (GCAN). The team is restructuring that network to encourage better communication and more robust engagement by its members via the Ocean Acidification Information Exchange (OAIE). Acquafredda also restarted GCAN’s webinar series and so far has hosted two, with more to come.
The activity most exciting for Acquafredda has been working to develop a new NOFO aimed at studying multistressor impacts on shellfish aquaculture. OAP is looking to use a co-production of knowledge framework to fund collaborations between growers and academics to produce both foundational data and industry-relevant deliverables.
He’s also been active with some of the Knauss Committees. Acquafredda’s most involved with the Lunch and Learn Committee that works with the NOAA Central Library System to host monthly webinars that highlight the work of Knauss Fellows. He also gave a talk in March (right when COVID started), which is archived on Youtube.
He’s also involved with the Knauss JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) Committee. In light of the murder of George Floyd and the ongoing protests calling for an end to racial injustice in our country, the committee created a document of resources many may find useful. JEDI Committee members are also reaching out to individual Sea Grant programs and inquiring about the different ways these state programs address JEDI issues in their activities, with a particular focus on recruitment activities regarding the Knauss Fellowship.
Although it’s really unfortunate that the two components of the fellowship Acquafredda was most excited about (the travel and in-person networking) have been thwarted by COVID-19, he’s making the most of this opportunity and still learning a lot about working in the marine policy realm.
As a 2020 Knauss Fellow representing New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, Victoria Luu (Princeton University) is currently working in the NOAA Office of International Affairs under Director Elizabeth McLanahan. Check out what’s going on!
February 2020
Tori started out her fellowship by jumping straight into a major international meeting. She flew to Oslo, Norway on Day 1 to participate in the biannual meeting of the Arctic Council’s Protection of the Marine Environment Working Group as part of the United States delegation. The Arctic Council is an effective high-level forum for cooperation and coordination whose work ranges from developing factsheets and reports to establishing binding treaties. By Day 5, Tori was already working actively with the team to edit a zero order draft of the Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter in the Arctic. There was fortunately some time for fun after the work was done, and the meeting participants all got to enjoy an evening at the Norwegian Maritime Museum. It was definitely an exciting start to the Knauss Fellowship!
March 2020
Almost all of the Knauss Fellows have been teleworking since Mid-March, but the work doesn’t stop! Everyone has been incredibly resourceful, and video chatting, webinars, and conference calls have become the new normal. Tori has still gotten to help staff in some high-level meetings with RDML Tim Gallaudet, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy NOAA Administrator, as well as help facilitate and moderate some sessions of the Arctic Science Summit Week in its new virtual form. International collaboration is still happening within NOAA – it’s just the scheduling has been trickier not being able to be in the same time zone!
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We appreciate all Knauss fellows as they continue working hard and diligently, despite the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19. Stay tuned for more updates soon.
Click here to learn more about NJSGC’s Knauss Class of 2020, which also includes Michael Acquafredda (Rutgers University) and Brittany Schieler (Rutgers University).
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium along with the Sea Grant National Office are pleased to announce that the Knauss Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO/FFO) for 2021 is now open. Please view the full announcement at grants.gov.
To support and encourage recruitment, these additional resources are also available to the public:
The deadline to apply for students is February 21, 2020.
Visit our fellowships webpage for more updates, and please contact NJSGC’s Acting Director Dr. Peter Rowe with any additional questions.
NJSGC will host an informational webinar on Thursday, December 5th from 10 am – 12 pm. Please contact our Communications Specialist Danica Bellini if you would like to register.
