Nina Santos is a Ph.D. student at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. For her dissertation, she is focused on small shrimp-like crustaceans called mysids – an understudied yet important part of many estuarine and coastal food webs.
Fellowship Experiences
A blog by and about students supported by Maryland Sea Grant
Photo, Debbie Hinkle
Tiny Powerhouses Shaping Our Future
Abdulmajid Alrefaie •
Without photosynthetic microbes, Earth’s atmosphere might never have become breathable. These organisms helped shape life as we know it. Today, they’re working in the background of our modern bioeconomy. Read more...
Lessons from Hawai‘i and California on the Future of BlueTech
Abdulmajid Alrefaie •
Some trips change how you see a place; others change how you see the world. Our fact-finding trip to the Aloha State did both. I was invited to join a congressional delegation to understand how science, culture, and climate adaptation intersect to shape ocean policy. Read more...
My Experience on a Shark Research Cruise
Aiman Raza •
Knauss fellow Aiman Raza recounts her time volunteering aboard a research vessel for NOAA's Southeast Fishery Science Center’s annual shark and red snapper bottom longline survey. Read more...
For the Farmer in Nebraska and the Lonely Buoy in the Middle of the Ocean
Isabel Butler Viruet •
When I started my Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, I found myself fixated on a single, somewhat specific question: How can we convince a farmer in Nebraska to care about a buoy floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Read more...
The Highs and Lows of My Early Career
Shayna Keller •
Since graduating with my bachelor’s degree from Coastal Carolina University in 2017, my career has taken on changes, twists, and turns. I have faced more challenges than expected but have also realized I am more resilient than I once thought. Read more...
