The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) promotes the educational and professional advancement of students and early-career scientists/scholars (e.g., postdoctoral) in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through mentoring and participation in NOAA Office of Education programs. NCCOS’ goal is to educate present and future generations of scientists and coastal managers about the coastal ocean, its resources, and the importance of protecting it.

Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program

Thirteen undergraduate student scholars with the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program conducted summer research projects with NCCOS. Their research, supervised by NCCOS scientist mentors, culminated with presentations at the 2017 Science and Education Symposium at the NOAA Silver Spring Campus, August 1-3, 2017. In 2017, 110 rising juniors from 64 universities in 33 states were awarded Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarships.

The 2016 Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program and Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship orientation at the NOAA Auditorium, Silver Spring, MD. (Credit NOAA)

Kaitlin Aaby (St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Saint Mary’s City, MD): Effect of Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation on Crude Oil Toxicity in the Estuarine Species, Cyprinodon variegatus. Mentored by Marie Delorenzo and Paul Pennington

Emma Harnish (Smith College, Northampton, MA): An Aquaculture Alliance: How and Why the U.S. is Supporting Sustainable Aquaculture Development in North Africa. Mentored by Najat El Mouthou, Jennica Hawkins, and James Morris

Olivia Harris (University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC): Behavioral Assessment of Invasive Lionfish Sound Production in the Laboratory. Mentored by Alex Bogdanoff and James Morris

Jessica Heckman (Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ): Legacy of Short-Term Fertilization for Salt Marsh Belowground Biochemical Processes in Freeman Creek, North Carolina. Mentored by Jenny Davis and Carolyn Currin

Trent Henry (Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL): Marine Spatial Planning for Aquaculture in San Diego Bay. Mentored by Lisa Wickliffe and James Morris

Jamie Knaub (University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC): Following Food: Humpbacks, Herring, and Homer, Alaska. Mentored by Kris Holderied

Christina Makris (University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC): Developing an Analytical Measurement Method for Flame Retardant Chemicals in Marine Debris. Mentored by John Kucklick

Andrew Shaughnessy (Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO): The Chemical Detective: Characterizing Natural Microbial Metabolites Affecting Human and/or Environmental Health. Mentored by Peter Moeller

Kathryn Shay (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL): Legacy of Short-Term Fertilization on Carbon Flux and Storage in Freeman Creek, North Carolina.  Mentored by Nathan McTigue and Carolyn Currin

Philip Tanabe (University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL): Effects of Oil Bioremediation Products on Three Life Stages of the Grass Shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio. Mentored by Peter Key

Leon Tran (University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC): Characterization of Invasive Lionfish Sound Production Using In Situ Video and Audio Analyses. Mentored by Alex Bogdanoff and James Morris

Madison Uetrecht (University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA): Oyster Aquaculture in Changing Conditions: Influence of Saturation State on Juvenile Calcification. Mentored by Elizabeth Turner

Sierra Wachala (University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC): Characterization of Aquaculture Effluent Water Quality to Inform Treatment Using a Coastal Wetland. Mentored by Troy Rezek and James Morris.

NOAA College-Supported Internships

Two NOAA College-Supported Interns (rising undergraduate) spent the 2017 summer conducting research under NCCOS mentorship. They presented results of their summer work at a OneNOAA science seminar on August 9 -10, 2017 at the NOAA Campus in Silver Spring, MD.

Tyler Anderson (Clark University, Worcester, MA): Rapid Bathymetry for Safer Navigation: Developing an Automated Process to Get Water Depth from Satellite. Mentored by Richard Stumpf

Carly Robbins (Clark University, Worcester, MA): Using High Resolution Satellites to Detect Harmful Algal Blooms. Mentored by Richard Stumpf.

NOAA/NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program offers summer internships to rising undergraduates interested in marine and estuarine science. With a mentor, interns conduct research projects, take field trips, and attend seminars and workshops related to science careers. Two REU students interned with NCCOS in 2017. They presented their research at the Fort Johnson (Charleston, SC) Summer Undergraduate Research Program Colloquium on August 9.

Meagan Currie (Swathmore College, Swarthmore, PA): The effects of 4-nonylphenol on the coral Acropora cervicornis. Mentored by Cheryl Woodley and Natasha White

Deanna Hausman (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX): Determining toxic effects of oil with and without UV light exposure in the estuarine shrimp species, Palaemonetes pugio. Mentored by Marie DeLorenzo and Paul Pennington.

NOAA and National Research Council Research Associateship Program

Dr. Isabel Caballero. (Credit: IEEE)

A variety of postdoctoral research opportunities are available at NOAA through the NRC Research Associateship Program.

Isabel Caballero, Ph.D. (Institute of Marine Sciences of Andalusia, Cádiz, Spain) is a visiting 2017-2018 post-doctoral scientist with NCCOS in Silver Spring researching remote sensing of satellite derived bathymetry in Florida Bay and the Florida Keys. The title of her research is “Estimation of satellite derived bathymetry (SDB) over moderately turbid waters.” Mentored by Richard Stumpf.

Congratulations to all the student scholars and visting scientists for their outstanding achievements!