Sea Grant/NMFS Graduate Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics

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 graduate students 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

Please visit the NOAA NMFS-SG Fellowship page for more information about this opportunity. Other resources include: 

  • NMFS-Sea Grant 2024 Fellowship informational webinar on November 13, 2023 at 2 PM ET – Register here
  • Office hours, where anyone can ask questions, on November 14, 2023 from 12-1 PM ET and 3-4 PM ET – Attend here

The deadline for students to submit application materials to Maine Sea Grant is Thursday, January 25, 2024, 5:00 PM EST

How to apply

Please contact Kathy Villarreal at the Maine Sea Grant Program as soon as you have decided to apply for the fellowship (207-581-1435 or email Kathy), so we can discuss the process and timeline for your proposal, track the number of applications coming in, and help answer questions during proposal preparation. Letters of recommendation should be addressed to NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship Program Manager.

2024 Application Materials:

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity – 

The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics anticipates funding at least four new PhD fellowships in 2024 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics. The emphasis will be on the research and development of quantitative methods for assessing the status of marine ecosystems; managed fish, invertebrates, and other targeted species; and marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.

Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity – 

The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics anticipates funding at least one new Ph.D. fellowship in 2024 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. 

For a list of required application materials and evaluation criteria, see the 2024 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Student Guide and Student Applicant Guide to Sea Grant Fellowships.

For more information, please contact Kathy Villarreal, or email OAR.SG.Fellows@noaa.gov.

If you have any additional questions about your eligibility, or about the application process, please email Maine Sea Grant Assistant Research Director Jessica Jansujwicz.