This opportunity is now open.

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.

Eligibility

The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowships are available to US citizens who are graduate students enrolled in 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

Ph.D. candidates interested in the population and ecosystem dynamics of living marine resources and the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing their status can receive up to three years of funding. Ph.D. students in marine resource economics, concentrating on the conservation and management of living marine resources, can receive two years of funding.

How to Apply

Students should submit applications to a Sea Grant Program and not submit information directly into grants.gov. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. Foreign Nationals are not eligible. Student applications are due to Sea Grant Programs by 5:00 pm local time on January 30, 2020. Sea Grant Programs must transmit the application via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm, Eastern Time February 27, 2020. There are two separate funding numbers for the two portions of this competition.

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity 
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics expects to award at least three new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2020 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. These fellowships can provide support for up to three years. 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 2020 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics expects to award one new Ph.D. Fellowship each year 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. This fellowship can provide support for up to three years.

All applicants in Florida must submit applications to Florida Sea Grant by Thursday, January 30, 2020, to Corina Guevara, Florida Sea Grant, University of Florida, PO Box 110400, Gainesville, FL 32611-0400, Corina@ufl.edu

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 $48,000 per year ($40,000 in federal dollars and $8,000 in matching dollars). The award provided to each Fellow is for salary (stipend), living expenses, tuition, 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 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 Fellowship Program Manager, who can be reached at OAR.SG.Fellows@noaa.gov or (301) 734-1083.

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.

For more information, visit: https://seagrant.noaa.gov/NMFS-SG-Fellowship

Deadline:

5:00 p.m., January 30, 2020

Applications must be sent to Florida Sea Grant by deadline to: Corina Guevara, Florida Sea Grant, University of Florida, PO Box 110400, Gainesville, FL 32611-0400, Corina@ufl.edu

Students are encouraged to contact Sherry Larkin, the director of Florida Sea Grant, for more information about this opportunity.