We are accepting pre-proposals for our 2024 biennial research competition through Jan. 20. Find out more here.
Current Graduate Fellows
Maryland Sea Grant Research Fellowship
Fellowship at:
Patuxent Environmental and Aquatic Research Laboratory, Morgan State UniversityProject Title:
Development of Triploid and Tetraploid Eastern Oysters for Maryland AquacultureCool Facts:
Shivish Bhandari is a graduate student in the Bioenvironmental Science Ph.D. program at Morgan State University studying environment-genome interaction in Eastern oysters. Outside of his studies, Shivish enjoys traveling, bird watching, and photography.
Fellowship at:
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Beyond Point Measurements: Modeling Benthic Forage Response to the Duration, Extent, and Severity of Hypoxia in Chesapeake BayCool Facts:
Allison is a master’s student studying the impacts of oxygen depletion on benthic invertebrates, an important source of forage for consumer organisms in Chesapeake Bay. She enjoys paddleboarding, hiking, and being outside.
Fellowship at:
Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Exploring the Use of Benthic Microbial Fuel Cells to Remove Sulfide While Harvesting Energy from Oyster Aquaculture BiodepositsCool Facts:
Michael is researching how to reduce sulfide concentrations near oyster hatcheries with the help of a benthic microbial fuel cell. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, hiking, running, and cheering on the Michigan Wolverines.
Fellowship at:
Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Causes of Benthic Cyanobacteria Overgrowth in Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Beds in Chesapeake Bay: Potential Consequences for Ecosystem ResilienceCool Facts:
Shayna is a master’s student in the Marine Estuarine Environmental Science graduate program at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Horn Point Laboratory. She is studying the effects of the benthic filamentous cyanobacteria, Lyngbya, on a large recovering aquatic grass bed on the Susquehanna Flats.
Fellowship at:
Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Does Living Shoreline Performance Depend on Design?Cool Facts:
Erika Koontz is a master's student studying the impacts of hardened shoreline structures and living shorelines on submersed aquatic vegetation in the Chesapeake Bay. After the field work and lab work is all done, she enjoys spending her time training for triathlon (swim, bike, run) events, hiking, and cuddling her cat Miley.
Fellowship at:
Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Evaluating the Effects of Stormwater Best Management Practices on Nitrogen Dynamics Using Stable IsotopesCool Facts:
Grace O’Hara is a master’s student in the Marine Estuarine Environmental Science graduate program. In her free time, she enjoys running, painting, and hiking.NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowships
Fellowship at:
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Impacts of Misspecification of Spatial Structure of Assessment and Stock on Reliability of Reference PointsCool Facts:
Reed is studying the population dynamics of black sea bass (Centropristis striata) in the Mid-Atlantic Bight region of the Atlantic seaboard. In his free time, Reed enjoys kayaking, fishing, and crabbing in the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay.
Fellowship at:
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Evaluating the Performance of Spatially Explicit Population Models to Estimate Abundance of Chesapeake Bay FishesCool Facts:
Samara Nehemiah a Ph.D. student at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. She is developing new statistical methods to estimate spatially explicit population estimates of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay.Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
Fellowship at:
NOAA Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental AffairsCool Facts:
Amber Fandel researched the presence and behaviors of marine mammals using sound. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, playing music, and hiking and paddle boarding with her dog.
Fellowship at:
NOAA National Ocean Service, Marine Debris ProgramCool Facts:
Benjamin is working as a Marine Debris Program Specialist in NOAA’s Marine Debris Program with a focus on derelict fishing gear. In his free time, Ben enjoys playing video games with friends, reading fantasy novels, hiking with his dog, and cooking.
Fellowship at:
Bureau of Ocean Energy ManagementCool Facts:
Sergio is an Ocean Energy Environmental Science & Policy Fellow at BOEM. In this role, he supports the development of best practices related to environmental, climate, and economic justice to further the understanding of the potential impacts of ocean energy projects on low-income, minority, and indigenous communities. Sergio likes to play the saxophone, play soccer, rock climb, and dance in his free time.
Fellowship at:
U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources; Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and WildlifeCool Facts:
Morgan McCue is a Legislative Fellow in the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources; Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife where she works as a professional staff member. In her free time, you can find her spending time with family, doing anything outdoors, reading, listening to podcasts, and visiting her favorite national parks!
Fellowship at:
NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information ServiceCool Facts:
Nikelene is serving as the GEO Blue Planet Policy fellow in the Satellite Oceanography and Climatology Division of NOAA NESDIS/STAR. She enjoys taking long runs along the coast, snorkeling and hiking coastal trails. She is very fond of traveling, experiencing different cultures and learning new languages.
Fellowship at:
NOAA OAR Climate Program OfficeCool Facts:
Andrea Miralles-Barboza is an International Climate Fellow in NOAAs Climate Program Office. In this role and in her future work she hopes to contribute to more community-driven approaches to coastal adaptation in a world increasingly and unevenly shaped by climate change. In her free time, Andrea enjoys spending time with loved ones, candle-making, true-crime content in all its formats (podcasts, books, documentaries, etc.), kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay and searching for the perfect latte.
Fellowship at:
The White House Executive Office of the President, Council on Environmental QualityCool Facts:
Brendan works with the Council on Environmental Quality’s Conservation Team and supports their water portfolio, which includes issues covering freshwater, marine and coastal environments. He is an avid cyclist and runner who grew up living on a sailboat in Seattle with his parents and two brothers.
Fellowship at:
NOAA National Sea Grant Office, NOAA, Office of EducationCool Facts:
Ana is an Education Policy Integration Fellow working with the National Sea Grant and the NOAA Office of Education. In her free time, she enjoys reading mystery books, spending time outside, trying new restaurants and learning new crafts.Graduate Research Support Grants
Fellowship at:
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Ecological and Environmental Implications of Sea Level Rise on Shallow Methane-gas in the Patuxent River EstuaryCool Facts:
Drew Hobbs is a Ph.D. student researching methane distribution, emissions, and consumption processes in coastal and estuarine systems like Chesapeake Bay. In his spare time, Drew likes to exercise, kayak, play video, craft, and keep up to speed with comic books and films.Competitive Graduate Research Fellowship
Fellowship at:
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceProject Title:
Elucidating Dietary Source and Structure of Three Important Juvenile Fishery Species Across the Chesapeake Bay Mouth Plume Using Bulk Stable Isotope AnalysesCool Facts:
Matt Stefanak is a Ph.D. student at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, MD studying how estuarine waters that flow out of the Chesapeake Bay affect the biological communities that live in the adjacent coastal habitat. In his free time, he enjoys reading, working out, kayaking, and spending time with his family, friends, and two cats.
Fellowship at:
Johns Hopkins University, Earth and Planetary Sciences DepartmentProject Title:
Analyzing the Effects of Hypoxia on the Microbiome of Atlantic Brief Squid: The Model Organism for Future Global Regime Shifts Due to Expansion of Hypoxic EnvironmentsCool Facts:
Leone Yisrael is a cephalopod-loving scuba diver, cook, and loves to try new activities. She conducts genetic analysis and fieldwork at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center through the Coastal Disease Ecology Lab.Program Announcements
News and Blogs
Featured Fellow
Leone Yisrael is a cephalopod-loving scuba diver, cook, and loves to try new activities. She conducts genetic analysis and fieldwork at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center through the Coastal Disease Ecology Lab.
Featured Research Project
Exploring the Use of Benthic Microbial Fuel Cells to Remove Sulfide While Harvesting Energy from Oyster Aquaculture Biodeposits
Oyster aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry in Maryland’s Chesapeake waters which stimulates economic activity and may provide a host of ecosystem benefits. A potential concern associated with the intensification of the oyster aquaculture is the local production and accumulation of oyster biodeposits, which can lead to a porewater sulfide accumulation and declining bioturbation, symptoms of declining ecosystem function. Sulfide is naturally removed from the seafloor by the interactions between bioturbating infauna and sulfide oxidizing bacteria.
