The Oregon Sea Grant Scholars Program has focused on broadening participation and diversity by restructuring our recruitment and review processes to make them more equitable. Our intent is to be more inclusive of applicants from various cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds with unique lived experiences, skills and interests, including applicants that may have had fewer opportunities in the marine policy field. In line with this initiative, applicants will have the opportunity to demonstrate how their experience with diverse stakeholder groups and communities might apply to this fellowship and how they think this fellowship will advance their long-term career goals.
You can sign-up for the ORSG Fellowship Announcements Listerv to receive information about upcoming opportunities. You can read more about some of our current scholars below.
Recent Opportunity
2025-2026 West Coast Ocean Alliance Fellowship
The deadline for this opportunity has passed.
The West Coast Ocean Alliance is supporting a second cohort of the West Coast Ocean Alliance Fellowship Program in partnership with Oregon Sea Grant, for five fellows to support Alliance regional priority needs in collaboration with member governments (selected fellows listed below). The fellowship program allows for increased capacity to support Alliance project activities and working groups while also strengthening links to member entities through project collaboration and mentorship. The formal request for applications is linked below for reference and provides more information about how fellowship.
- Request for Applications (for reference only, we are no longer accepting applications)
- Full Position Descriptions
Eligibility
This opportunity was open to college-level students and graduates who are focused on ocean and coastal management issues and have an interest in ocean policy and planning along the U.S. West Coast.
Taylor Bruntil
Assignment: Taylor will be serving as the Ocean Science Fellow with the Washington Department of Ecology. This fellowship will play a critical role in advancing Washington State’s effort to develop a Pacific Coast Science and Research Agenda framework.
Education: Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University with an emphasis in ecology and evolution, and went on to receive a master’s degree from Cal Poly Humboldt, in marine ecology. Taylor’s graduate research assessed how biodiversity influences species establishment in marine invertebrate communities.
Professional & Research Interests: Taylor is pursuing a career conducting research in the coastal ecosystems of Washington state, specifically interested in marine invertebrates. If given the choice, Taylor’s dream is to study gelatinous zooplankton. Overall, the hope is to take part in research that deepens our understanding of marine communities and supports efforts to protect ecosystems along the Pacific coast.
Luke Ghallahorne
Assignment: As an Estuary and Ocean Climatology Analyst Fellow, Luke will be working with the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission's (CRITFC) Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction (CMOP) program. He will be synthesizing physical and biogeochemical data with output from CMOP's Virtual Columbia River model to create climatological products and visualizations to inform tribal resource management and priorities, as well as integrating CMOP monitoring data into the NANOOS NVS Averages and Anomalies App, the West Coast Ocean Data Portal, and CMOP's Climatological Atlas. Luke is looking forward to learning from CRITFC's member tribes, supporting tribal priorities, and enhancing open access to environmental data.
Education: Luke completed his M.S. in Biology (Marine and Estuarine Science Program) at Western Washington University in 2025. His thesis research focused on modeling the transport of Olympia oyster larvae throughout the Salish Sea to support local and state restoration efforts. He received his B.S in Biology in 2023 with a marine emphasis and minor in mathematics from Western Washington University. He is a UWC Davis Scholar alum, graduating from UWC Atlantic College in 2013.
Professional & Research Interests: Luke is a marine ecologist whose love for invertebrates and underwater communities grew from dive training in Wales, Mozambique, Honduras, and New Zealand. His passions focus on ecosystem resilience to climate stress, particularly in the ways physical oceanography impacts population and community connectivity. He is especially interested in ocean and coastal modeling and how model products can inform real-world conservation and restoration. In the future, he hopes to combine cultural knowledge and science to enhance marine conservation and to bring modeling efforts to other fragile and at-risk ecosystems.
Molly Lowney
Assignment: Molly will be working as a Coastal Development and Sustainability Fellow with the Sustainability and Environmental Departments of the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Government (BLR). Her work will support various research needs to improve ocean management and increase technical capacity across BLR’s projects.
Education: Molly received a B.A. in Environmental Ethics and Policy from the University of Portland in 2021. She received her M.S. in Coastal and Marine Environments from the University of Galway in Ireland in 2025. Her graduate dissertation research was focused on social-ecological system change at Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California.
Professional & Research Interests: Molly is interested in how social-ecological systems and traditional ecological knowledge can inform ethical and sustainable coastal management. She is particularly interested in bottom-up, community based approaches to coastal climate resilience. Molly has professional experience in environmental education, public outreach, and science communication. Her graduate dissertation research was focused on policy driven social-ecological system change at Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California. As a WCOA Fellow, Molly hopes to learn about different systems of governance, ecological stewardship, and collaborating with coastal communities.
Maya Feezell
Assignment: As a WCOA fellow, Maya will be working with the Oregon Coastal Management Program to curate and maintain data via the West Coast Ocean Data Portal. Maya's work will focus on data transparency, outreach, and collaboration between multiple partner groups working in Oregon, California, and Washington.
Education: Maya recently completed a PhD at Oregon State University with Dr. Bruce Menge. Her thesis work focused on how climate change is affecting tide pool communities along the Oregon Coast. Before this, Maya received a B.S. in Marine Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Professional & Research Interests: Maya is passionate about stewarding and protecting marine ecosystems, and strives to support others in doing the same. She loves engaging others in marine conservation through teaching, community outreach, and marine policy. She also seeks out opportunities for collaboration across organizations and disciplines, in order to create robust conservation projects that involve and benefit as many people as possible.
Alexandra Avila
Assignment: Alex will serve as the fellowship position with the Quileute Marine Program Fellow with the Quileute Tribe’s Department of Natural Resources, Marine Program. Through this role, Alex will support the development of a marine resource inventory by compiling and organizing ecological, cultural, and ocean condition data to inform future marine planning and stewardship efforts. Alex anticipates contributing to data-driven decision-making that supports sustainable ocean use and advances Tribal priorities for coastal and marine resource management.
Education: Alex earned a Ph.D. in Fisheries Sciences from Oregon State University, where her research focused on nearshore oceanography, larval dispersal, and population genetics of rockfish along the Oregon and Washington coasts. Alex’s graduate training combined fisheries ecology, ocean circulation, and genetic methods to inform ecosystem-based fisheries management and marine spatial planning. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Marine Resources Management from Oregon State University, an M.Sc. in Ecology from Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and a B.A. in Biology from Hood College.
Professional & Research Interests: Alex’s professional focus is on sustainable fisheries and ensuring that marine resources remain accessible to future generations. She is especially interested in applying fisheries science to support long-term stewardship, equitable access, and management approaches that balance ecological sustainability with the needs of fishing communities. A central part of hey work is translating scientific research into practical tools and recommendations that support fisheries management, Tribal governance, and community decision-making.
Taylor Liqin Cockrell
Assignment: Working with the Oregon Sea Grant Summer Scholars and Oregon Applied Sustainability Internships (OASIS), Taylor will provide program support focused on streamlining internship administration and managing deliverables. Taylor will also serve as a mentor and resource for scholars, supporting their professional development and enhancing their overall internship experience.
Education: In 2024, Taylor completed her undergraduate studies, earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a focus on applied ecology at Oregon State University. Taylor also minored in Chemistry and Biology, developing skills in data analysis, scientific writing, and lab work. Her interdisciplinary studies covered topics such as marine ecology, conservation biology, and environmental assessment.
Professional & Research Interests: Taylor’s research interests focus on marine ecology and conservation biology, with an emphasis on marine intertidal invertebrates. She is particularly passionate about translating this research into accessible formats through effective science communication and public outreach. Professionally, Taylor is driven by the intersection of art, science, education, and the environment, aspiring to bridge these disciplines to promote and sustain healthy coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
Matt Solberg
Assignment: Matt has been awarded the Oregon Sea Grant Fisheries Workforce Development Fellowship. He will lead the development and initial implementation of a workforce development training program for new entrants to commercial fishing. Through collaboration will local stakeholders, Matt will create a curriculum framework, training materials, and facilitate trainings in the community.
Education: Matt graduated from Oregon State University in 2012 with a B.S. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. After working alongside the San Bushman to mitigate human-carnivore conflict in Namibia, Matt developed a deeper understanding of ecology and the importance of involving local communities in conservation efforts. His service in the Peace Corps (Sierra Leone), led him to pursue his M.A. in Teaching and M.S. in Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University in 2016. He comes to us experienced in environmental research, education, and addressing complex environmental issues.
Professional and Research Interests: Matt is passionate about Community Science, involving local community members in projects focused on preserving natural resources. His current research interests are centered around salmonids, seabirds, and commercial fishing. He is an active member of the scientific community, participating on CWMA boards, annual Christmas Bird Counts, and restoration activities along the Columbia River Basin.
Louli Ziels
Assignment: As an Oregon Coastal and Ocean Information Network (OCOIN) Fellow, my work will align with OCOIN’s mission of supporting informed decision-making for Oregon ocean and coastal management through data and information that is easily accessible, relevant, and current. In a building year for OCOIN, some main focuses will be creating an interactive mindmap to illustrate connections between regional information networks and advocating for processes that ensure equitable accessibility of marine information.
I will also be an Oregon Sea Grant (OSG) Fellow, supporting the OSG Summer Scholars Program with administrative tasks and working as a near-peer mentor during the summer session of scholars!
Education: I graduated from the University of Portland (UP) with a B.A. in Environmental Ethics & Policy and in Spanish. Prior to starting my fellowship, I was an OSG Scholar for two sessions, collaborating with OCOIN to support their information-sharing objectives while developing a strategic plan for the upcoming year. Most recently, I worked as a subcontractor for Sea & Shore Solutions to help build a coastal research inventory. Apart from this, and most importantly, I am an ongoing student of freediving, surfing, and my grandmas.
Professional & Research Interests: I am moved by the intersections I’ve observed between coastal research, data, policy, knowledge, and art, and the interplay that can occur between them to form an understanding of how to best care for our coast. Specifically, I am curious how existing marine information can be shared in a way that informs policy, identifies data gaps, and encourages collaboration. I am eager to learn how networks that inform understanding can be complementary to each other, avoid duplication, and support purposeful data collection.
Ysabelle Yrad
Assignment: Sustainable Energy/Community Development Fellow with the Sustainability and Community Development Department at Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Government.
Education B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Organismal Biology from the University of Toledo in 2020. M.S. in Environment and Sustainability with a specialization in Sustainability and Development from the University of Michigan in 2023.
Professional & Research Interests: Ysabelle is broadly interested in the intersection of ecology, hydrology, and community well-being. Her undergraduate thesis mapped urban access to various food outlets in Lucas County, Ohio, and discussed the rise in community garden plots as a sustainable, resilient solution. She also enjoy participating in environmental education programs, including public outreach on renewable energy and water quality topics. Ysabelle's master's capstone focused on water related perceptions, conservation projects, and hydrologic mapping in the newly re-imagined Obtawaing Biosphere Region (a UNESCO designation in northern Michigan named after the Anishinaabek word meaning "at the halfway place"). As a WCOA fellow, she hopes to bring what she has learned from the Great Lakes and build new knowledge and impact on the West coast. Ysabelle is also interested in environmental policy, particularly as it relates to collaborating with communities, decision-makers, and researchers for interdisciplinary climate adaptations. Lastly, she is committed to centering environmental justice and local/regional contexts in the work that she does.
Carina Burroughs
Assignment: Working with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service on the West Coast Offshore Wind Team. Carina will join the team’s work to minimize the impacts of offshore wind development on living marine resources, their habitats, and the ecosystems upon which they depend.
Education: Carina graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marine Affairs and Ecosystem Science and Policy from the University of Miami and recently earned a master’s degree in Coastal and Marine Resource Management from the University Centre of the Westfjords/University of Akureyri. Her graduate research focused on social and ecological changes in the coral reef ecosystem at Islas Marietas National Park in the Central Mexican Pacific.
Professional & Research Interests: Carina is an interdisciplinary scientist who is passionate about marine social-ecological research and the development of coastal management strategies that promote sustainable resource use. As a scientist, she is interested in research questions with practical management applications, and she employs both ecological field methods and social science methods to answer these questions. In the realm of resource management, she is interested in the development of policies and planning that support both healthy ecosystems and the needs of coastal communities. She has a strong interest in the intersection of renewable energy and marine resource management, and looks forward to contributing to this field in her role as a WCOA fellow.
Avery Calhoun
Assignment: Avery will be working with the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Offshore Wind Team. She will be working to curate their geospatial datasets and develop GIS (geographic information systems) content for the West Coast Ocean Data Portal and other uses. Avery aims to increase the connectivity and availability of ocean and coastal data to better inform policy development, resource management, and conservation.
Education: Avery graduated with a B.S. in Marine Science from California State University, Monterey Bay, and an M.S. in Biology from the University of Oregon. Her graduate work centered around seafloor habitat characterization and suitability modeling for deep-sea chemosynthetic invertebrates in the Gulf of Mexico. Prior to her graduate degree, she also worked on mapping endangered butterfly and shorebird distributions in central and southern California.
Professional & Research Interests: Avery has a deep interest in how ecology changes across space, especially the distribution of animals across different habitat conditions. She has worked with a wide range of ecosystems and species, from endangered butterflies on mountain peaks to snails found on deep-sea methane seeps. These experiences have cultivated a passion for scientific communication and outreach, something she supplements with scientific illustration and graphic design. Through this fellowship, Avery hopes to further develop her communication skills, learn more about marine policy implementation, and support the development of clean energy on the west coast.
Suzanne Quinn O'Neill
Assignment: Suzie will be working with NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region to assist the Oregon Aquaculture Association and state partners in developing a statewide aquaculture plan. Suzie will also support efforts to broaden NOAA’s support of Tribal aquaculture and to address invasive species infestations in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor.
Education: Suzie received a B.A. in Geo Physics from Brown University in 2022, as well as an Occupational Endorsement in Alaskan Aquaculture from the University of Alaska Southeast during the fall of 2022.
Professional & Research Interests: Suzie is passionate about sustainable aquaculture and its dual benefit to communities and the marine environment. After working on an oyster farm in Rhode Island and studying kelp, shellfish, and salmon enhancement aquaculture in Southeast Alaska, Suzie is excited to dive into the policy realm to contribute to meaningful coastal management that promotes healthy marine ecosystems and uplifts marginalized voices.
Megan Considine
Assignment: Megan will be working with The Nature Conservancy's Global Aquaculture Strategy Lead, Global Aquaculture Manager, and TNC staff from Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska to explore the potential to invest in and create restorative seaweed aquaculture farms in the Pacific Northwest.
Education: Megan graduated with a B.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Caroline and recently earned her M.S. in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University. Her graduate research involved working directly with oyster farms in Oregon to detect and prevent an invasive pest that poses economic and ecological risks for this region’s oyster aquaculture industry.
Professional & Research Interests: Megan is interested in community based regenerative aquaculture because of its potential to provide food sovereignty, while maintaining and in some cases even improving the environment through key ecosystem services. She looks forward to gaining hands-on experience in community engagement within an emerging seaweed industry and robust exposure to experts in the regenerative aquaculture field.
Connect with Megan at LinkedIn or Research Gate
Kaegan Scully-Engelmeyer
Assignment: In this position, Kaegan will support the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) activities related to Oregon’s Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OHA) policy. In particular, Kaegan will collaborate with other federal and state agencies and academia by assisting with the convening and facilitation of a scientific-technical workgroup. This workgroup’s charge will be to define and develop scientifically-supported methodologies for assessing OAH impacts in marine territorial waters that can be used to carry out water quality assessments within DEQ’s Clean Water Act assessment program.
Education: Kaegan is a recent graduate from the Earth, Environment, and Society Ph.D. program at Portland State University’s School of the Environment. He received his B.A. in Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon in 2009. He worked for several years in natural resource management projects in Oregon, ranging from wetland conservation and management to endangered species recovery. His graduate research focused on landscape-scale topics along the Oregon Coast, including human dimensions of coastal and marine resources and connections between forestry management practices and freshwater and estuarine bivalves.
Professional and Research Interests: Kaegan’s research and professional interests center on coastal water quality and land management issues. He is particularly interested in applied research and policymaking. During this fellowship, Kaegan is excited to gain hands-on experience working with policy staff and decision-makers to develop and implement water quality policies along the Oregon Coast.
Connect with Kaegan on LinkedIn.
Melissa Symmes
Assignment: Melissa is an Oregon Sea Grant Public Access Research Fellow currently working for The Oregon Coastal Management Program in the Department of Land Conservation and Development. Her work will aid in developing a community-oriented public access policy framework in Oregon by informing policy development through community-specific research. Her research will help enable more equitable and sustainable public access to shorelines in Oregon.
Education: Melissa is a second year Master of Public Policy graduate student at Oregon State University. She will graduate with a concentration in Environmental Policy in 2022. Melissa graduated from Boise State University in 2020 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a double minor in Biology and Sustainability. She played 5 years of Division 1 college soccer at Boise State University and finished her last year as a graduate transfer at Oregon State University. In summer 2021, Melissa researched public perceptions on recycled water use for crop irrigation in the Sammamish Valley of Washington state. She is also currently working with Conservation Northwest examining how perceptions about non-lethal wolf management options impact the willingness of ranchers to ranch alongside wolves in Washington. Her graduate thesis will be determined from her research experiences.
Professional & Research Interest:Melissa is interested in environmental policies intersecting with conservation, wildlife, or natural resource management. During her fellowship she looks forward to working with policy professionals, applying her skills, and gaining insights into how policy impacts the Oregon coast and shoreline access. Looking ahead, her professional aspirations are to work in Washington D.C. helping create and impact policy decisions related to the environment.
Astrea Strawn
Assignment:As the Climate Change and Natural Working Lands Coordinator Executive Fellow, Astrea works with Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) and the Oregon Global Warming Commission to assist state agencies in implementing Governor Brown’s Executive Order (EO) 20-04: Directing State Agencies to Take Actions to Reduce and Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Astrea utilizes science, policy research and public engagement tools in support of Section 12A of the EO, which calls for a multi-agency proposal to the Governor regarding the adoption of state goals for carbon sequestration and storage by Oregon’s natural and working landscapes.
Education: Astrea has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Prescott College and an M.S. in Marine Resource Management (MRM) from Oregon State University, with a minor in Risk and Uncertainty Quantification in Marine Sciences. Her thesis research examined impacts of policy change on coastal communities and the commercial fishing industry. While studying at OSU, Astrea was also the social science lead on a trans-disciplinary fellowship team examining climate change impacts on the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery, and fishery dependent communities.
Professional & Research Interests: Astrea enjoys working in the intersection of human and environmental needs. Her professional interests have evolved from social science research specific to commercial fisheries, to encompass outreach, engagement, and policy decision making with natural resource groups across Oregon. Astrea is particularly interested in applying her skill set to climate change planning and mitigation in terrestrial and marine environments.
Connect with Astrea on LinkedIn.
Doug Rossi
Assignment: As the 2021-2022 OSG/OASE Industry Fellow, Doug will work with The Tofurky Company as their Environmental and Sustainability Program Coordinator (ESPC). In this position, Doug will get first-hand experience in the research, design, and implementation of an environmental management system (EMS) and the beginnings of a sustainability program that aligns with this plant-based food manufacturer’s mission, business model, and environmental goals.
Background: Doug grew up in Colorado but came out to Oregon for college. He recently graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Ethics & Policy as well as a B.B.A in Marketing from the University of Portland (UP) in May 2021. Starting in his junior year, Doug interned at a start-up company called Produce Mate that was started by a previous UP alum. At Produce Mate Doug oversaw all things related sustainability, and guided the company to begin the process of becoming a B Corp.
Professional Interest: Doug not only wants to help companies and people become more sustainable, but to also encourage conversation. More now than ever, Doug feels that it is important for us to have conversations about difficult topics, especially with those who have differing opinions. Doug hopes to be someone who can help build community and support those in need, all while doing better for our planet. This fellowship offers him the opportunity to listen to a diverse set of perspectives and to create an EMS that will consider the needs of many.
Felicia Olmeta-Schult
Assignment:As the Resilience Fellow, Felicia will be working with staff at Oregon Sea Grant and other partners to increase the resilience of Oregon communities to the impacts of climate change and coastal natural hazards (e.g., coastal erosion, earthquakes, and tsunamis). She will conduct engagement and outreach to local stakeholders to better understand and assess impacts of climate change and coastal hazards, and how to mitigate the impacts of hazards through improved practices and policies.
Education: Felicia has a B.S. in Oceanography from Hawaii Pacific University, a M.A. in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island, and a Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University. Her dissertation investigated the North Coast of California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative by studying how stakeholders interacted and were involved during the marine protected area (MPA) planning process and how they perceived socio-economic and ecological effects of MPAs. She was a 2018-19 Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellow at the Washington Department of Ecology Shorelands & Environmental Assistance Program where she participated in the Washington Coastal Resilience Project.
Amy Erhart
Assignment: As the Aquaculture Fellow, Amy will be working with staff at Oregon Sea Grant to coordinate aquaculture efforts in the state and US West Coast region. Her main objective is to conduct a statewide needs assessment for developing shellfish and seaweed aquaculture opportunities in Oregon.
Education: Amy has a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Southern Utah University where she conducted research on sea anemone feeding behavior. She completed her PhD in Earth, Environment, and Society (Environmental Science) at Portland State University in December 2020. Amy’s dissertation research focused on pharmaceutical contaminants in coastal ecosystems in Oregon and Washington, and their effects on the commercially grown Pacific oyster.
Professional & Research Interests: Amy’s research interests are centered around anthropogenic effects on marine ecosystems and sustainable use of marine resources. Professionally, she is interested in the role of scientific research in decision making and aspires to work in an environment that links these sectors in solving real world problems. Through this fellowship, she hopes to gain experience in stakeholder engagement, and provide a resource to inform future research, outreach, and policies surrounding aquaculture in Oregon.