Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

This opportunity is open

The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant’s founders, former NOAA Administrator, John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with “hosts” in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid fellowship. To learn more, please visit the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program on the web.

Visit the National Sea Grant website for Prospective Knauss Fellows to learn more about the fellowship and the application process.

The application deadline is February 19, 2025.

Creating your Application: Download and carefully read the 2026 Knauss Fellowship Federal Funding Opportunity (NOAA-OAR-SG-2026-29505), which contains information about eligibility, required application content and format, and applicant review criteria.

Please notify Kathy Villarreal at 207-581-1435 as soon as you have decided to apply, so we can track the applications coming in, start a file for your materials, and answer questions about the application process.

Letters of recommendation should be addressed to Maine Sea Grant Director, Gayle Zydlewski, and they may be sent via mail or signed, scanned, and emailed to Kathy Villarreal. All other application materials may be emailed to Kathy Villarreal. It is critical that the application format guidance in the federal funding opportunity is followed exactly, as applicants have been disqualified in recent years for errors such as word counts in excess of the maximum required.

If you have any additional questions about your eligibility, or about the fellowship experience or application review criteria, please contact Jessica Jansujwicz.

Submit application materials to:
Knauss Fellowship Review Committee, Attn: Kathy Villarreal
Maine Sea Grant College Program
5741 Libby Hall, Suite 110
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Email Kathy Villarreal
Phone: 207-581-1435