As a child, you could often find me squatting in my parents’ backyard pulling up rocks and playground mats to look for earth worms and other dirt dwelling creepy crawlers. Fast forward to my undergraduate degree where I studied Environmental… Full story
Student Blog
Getting trashy: A Knauss fellow’s venture into marine debris
October 26, 2023
My name is Madison Willert and I have a Ph.D. in biology from Georgia Tech. I entered the 2023 Knauss Fellowship Program through Georgia Sea Grant. My work in the National Sea Grant Office and NOAA’s Marine Debris Program supports… Full story
Adjusting from academia to the speed of Congress
July 6, 2023
I am Knauss Fellow working in the office of Congressman John Garamendi, who represents California’s 8th Congressional District. As someone born and raised in the Lowcountry, my only exposure to the different paradigms of water management/rights in the Western U.S…. Full story
Marine policy on the Hill
December 12, 2022
As a Knauss Fellow, I am working in Congress, commonly referred to as the Hill, in the U.S. House of Representatives with Congresswoman Doris Matsui. Working for a California Representative means that I am learning a lot about West Coast… Full story
Achieving resilience through flexibility
November 19, 2021
A love of law, science, and the coast led me to the Knauss Fellowship and my placement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Hazard Mitigation Planning Program. I am a UGA Law School graduate and am privileged to… Full story
How parenthood prepared me for my Knauss Fellowship
August 23, 2021
I have been and done many things, but this year as a Knauss Fellow has not only given me experience but has given me a change in perspective—about my work and about myself. My name is Amara Davis, and I’m… Full story
Being open to the journey: reflections from a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow
October 8, 2020
“Not all who wander are lost,” – J.R.R. Tolkien. This quote resonates with the value and vision driven—albeit less conventional—journey I have taken that has led me to a Ph.D. in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology and my current position as… Full story
Early stage reflections on pursuing a career in fisheries conservation
July 6, 2020
For as long as I can remember, I have thought that fish are the most fascinating creatures in the world which is why I am dedicating my life to fisheries conservation. As a student at the University of Georgia, I… Full story
Reflections from sea
September 4, 2019
As I write this, I am sitting aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship, Fairweather, learning how NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey collects the data needed to create our nation’s nautical charts. On this particular cruise, we’re collecting… Full story
Exploring the world of policy: The experience of a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow
November 14, 2018
I have been involved in active scientific research for more than five years and the majority of my doctoral work focused on highly politicized topics within the oceanic environment (Deepwater Horizon disaster, Gulf hypoxia, methane emissions in the Arctic, etc.)…. Full story