An REU fellowship is a great way to prepare for a career in the marine sciences.

On this site we feature the careers of our REU alumni. Each student has followed a different path to their career. Find out how they are contributing to our appreciation of the marine sciences.

Are there questions you'd like to have answered on the Career Spotlight page? Send your questions to: connors@mdsg.umd.edu

Jim Hagy, REU Class of 1990

I am a research ecologist with the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development (ORD). ORD conducts research to support the regulatory and other environmental management missions of EPA. We also contribute broadly to the scientific fields in which we work. I work on the effects of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment on the Nation's estuaries and coastal waters, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico Region. My research presently supports 2 main areas. One is reducing the size of an area of low bottom water oxygen levels in the northern Gulf of Mexico that results from nutrients flowing from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin into the Gulf. The other is development of water quality standards for nutrients in estuaries.

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Julie Palakovich, REU Class of 2004

I am a public policy associate for a scientific society. I do government relations and public affairs, which in plain English means that I track what Congress and the federal government are doing and communicate this information to scientists. I also advocate for funding for scientific research and the use of science to inform policy decisions.

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