Education

Sea Grant education and professional training programs help recruit and retain a workforce skilled in disciplines critical to the ecological health, economic vitality, and resilience of Maine’s coastal communities and ocean resources. Our funding criteria for research and program development awards favor meaningful involvement of students, and our education, extension, and citizen science programs engage stakeholders of all ages in research and stewardship. Opportunities for students include several NOAA and Sea Grant graduate student fellowships, an undergraduate scholarship in marine science, and professional internships and volunteering. In partnership with education organizations throughout the state and region, Maine Sea Grant develops formal and informal education programs related to the five National Sea Grant Network’s focus areas.* Maine Sea Grant Associate Director, Beth Bisson, works closely with the Marine Extension Team and our partners to bring marine science to Maine people of all ages. Members of Maine Sea Grant’s Marine Extension Team also conduct place-based educational programs and provide field experiences for K-16 teachers and students and other informal audiences throughout the state.

* Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Resilient Coastal Communities, Safe and Sustainable Seafood, Preparing for a Changing Climate, and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development

Student Fellowship and Scholarship Opportunities

Maine Sea Grant serves as the point of contact for graduate students interested in marine-related fellowships through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including: the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, the NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship, and the Sea Grant/NMFS Graduate Fellowship Program in Population Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics.

Maine Sea Grant offers graduate fellowship opportunities. Check the Funding Opportunities page for availability.

Each year, Maine Sea Grant also awards up to ten Undergraduate Scholarships in Marine Sciences to second or third-year undergraduate students from the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Machias, Maine Maritime Academy, College of the Atlantic, and the University of New England, through a matching grant program.