

From DC to Antarctica: Gina Selig
Check out this new video from 2023 fellow Gina Selig discussing her work with the Antarctic Treaties Commission and her upcoming trip to Antarctica.
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Check out this new video from 2023 fellow Gina Selig discussing her work with the Antarctic Treaties Commission and her upcoming trip to Antarctica.
In my Knauss fellowship so far, one of the most meaningful pieces of advice I’ve heard is to “think of your career as a journey, not a destination.” As the fall begins and my fellowship rounds the corner into the back nine, so to speak, I’ve shifted the way I think about my career journey. I’ve been in my feelings a lot lately about what my next steps will be after January, a familiar feeling for Knauss fellows, as we browse USAjobs.gov and subscribe to job digests from various job boards, patiently waiting for the precise second that our direct hiring authority privilege kicks in. In this time, I’ve been refining the language I use to describe myself and my accomplishments. I’m reflecting on the past and the stories beneath the single-line additions to my résumé meant to represent my capability. For instance, my master’s degree is one entry on my résumé, but how do I share what sparked my desire to pursue environmental policy as a career path?
What do Knauss Fellows actually do? Well, it depends!
You may know NOAA for its science, but there are teams of people that help get the science in motion and to the communities that need it most.
2023 Knauss Fellow Briana Yancy works as a Transition Manager at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab this year. Check out her experience!
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. The 85 early-career professionals selected will be placed in federal government offices throughout Washington, D.C., and join the over 1,600 individuals who have participated in the program since its inception in 1979.
When people talk about the Knauss Fellowship they always mention how Fellows have the opportunity to go to places they never imagined. But as a marine ecologist, I didn’t expect my destinations to include Utah, Missouri, and Indiana. These were just some of my stops on a cross-country road trip from the West to East Coast, visiting project sites and meeting with partners.
NOAA and Sea Grant are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2023 class of the Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. The 2023 class represents the largest in recent years with 86 finalists. The 2023 finalists describe themselves in a map of the universities that they hail from, celebrating their different paths to the fellowship.
By: Renee Richardson. The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship specifically targets students who “… have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.” Although it is not explicitly stated, meteorology does fall under this statement. The atmosphere and the ocean are linked and, in many cases, cannot be considered independent of one another. But what does this mean exactly?
By: Kenneth Erickson. What makes a fisheries biologist qualified to communicate with Congress about satellites and space policy? The same skills that make a successful graduate student: good time management, effective communication and the ability to process and distill complex information.
NOAA and Sea Grant are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2022 class of the Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. The 74 finalists in the 2022 class represent 28 of the 34 Sea Grant programs. Since 1979, almost 1,500 fellows have completed the program, becoming leaders in science, policy, and public administration roles.
The Knauss Fellowship offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on marine and coastal policy issues in the nation’s capital. Four alumnae of the Knauss Fellowship share their experiences with science, policy, communication, cultural identity and more, in their own words.
In February 2021, the 42nd class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship will begin fellowships across NOAA and other federal agencies to make their mark on national ocean and coastal policy and administration. While the experiences and backgrounds of each class are quite diverse, many selected fellows build on educational experiences offered by NOAA earlier in their careers.
The 74 finalists in the 2021 class represent 27 of the 34 Sea Grant programs. This year’s class includes early career professionals who have diverse backgrounds and experiences. Since 1979, over 1,400 fellows have completed the program, becoming leaders in science, policy, and public administration roles.
Knauss Fellowship alumni use the experiences they gain during the fellowship to pursue a variety of careers, from NOAA Chief of Staff to professors or U.S. Senate committee staff. But as a musician in the successful band Animal Collective, 2004 fellow Brian Weitz may have the most out-of-the-box “where are they now” story.
Catalina Martinez, a 2002 Knauss Fellow through Rhode Island Sea Grant, was one of six NOAA experts recognized at the 2019 annual Women of Color in STEM conference. Martinez explains how the Knauss Fellowship paved the way for her 18-year career at NOAA.
The 2020 finalists for the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program will become the 41th class of one of the most prestigious marine policy fellowships in the U.S. The 69 finalists represent 28 of the 34 Sea Grant programs. Since 1979, Sea Grant has provided one-year Knauss fellowships to early career professionals to work in federal government offices in Washington, D.C. to over 1,300 early professionals.
Most of the Sea Grant Knauss fellows work for the Executive branch of the government, making a difference in federal agencies throughout the Washington, DC area.
Every year, up to ten Knauss fellows work on Capitol Hill, providing expertise for congressional offices and committees working on marine and aquatic legislation.
” Since I didn't have a marine science or oceanography background, the Sea Grant Knauss fellowship opened the door for me at NOAA and within policy. It can also do this for others.”
“If you are at all thinking about marine science policy, definitely apply for the fellowship!”