Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
Spend a year in Washington D.C., applying your graduate training to coastal, ocean and Great Lakes policy. The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship places graduate students interested in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources in executive and legislative offices where they contribute to real-world policy work. Fellows bring science, innovation and fresh perspectives to decision-making and leave with practical skills and a national professional network.
Administered by the National Sea Grant College Program, the Knauss Fellowship is one of the nation’s premier marine policy fellowship programs. Students receive a unique educational and professional experience at the intersection of science, policy and public service. Fellows are matched with host offices in the legislative and executive offices for an immersive year of hands-on policy experience.
Fellowship Eligibility
You may be eligible for the Knauss Fellowship if you:
- Are enrolled in a graduate program (Master’s, PhD or JD) at an accredited university in the US or its territories at the time you apply
- Have an interest in public service and policy related to oceans, coasts and Great Lakes
- Are a US citizen, national or dual citizen
Application resources including eligibility and application details, student overview and applications guides, and an overview of the opportunity are available online through the National Sea Grant College Program’s Knauss Fellowship Resources page.
Prospective students must apply through their state program. Contact Sean Rafferty, Ph.D., Research Director, at srafferty@psu.edu for details about future opportunities.
Pennsylvania Fellows
Nathaniel Edelheit-Rice (2025)
Nathaniel Edelheit-Rice spent his year as a Knauss fellow working at NOAA Headquarters within the Environmental Review and Coordination Section, NOAA Office of General Counsel. Nathaniel graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Master of Environmental Studies degree and a Juris Doctorate degree concurrently. Read about Nathanial’s Knauss experience.
Sahara Rios-Bonilla (2025)
Sahara Rios-Bonilla spent her year as a Knauss Fellow working in NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration as the Deep Sea Sample Strategy Fellow working to optimize deep sea sampling paradigm for the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. Read about Sahara’s Knauss experience.
Chelsea Russ (2025)
Chelsea Russ worked with the Department of the Navy, Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy working in the Pentagon tracking policy changes that might impact naval oceanography. Read about Chelsea’s Knauss experience.
Karen Beatty (2024)
Karen Beatty spent her year as a Knauss Fellow working with NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources. She graduated from Penn State University in 2023 with a Master of Science degree in Ecology.
Jessica Eason (2023)
Jessica Eason worked as a Congressional Affairs Knauss Fellow at the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Jessica earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Brown University, a master’s of Neuroscience from the University of Rhode Island, and a master’s of Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Bioscience from Penn State University. Read about Jessica’s Knauss experience.
Lincoln Rehm (2022)
Katie Lample (2021)
Katie Lample spent her year as a Knauss Fellow working in the office of Senator Jeffrey Merkley (OR). Katie received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Drexel University and a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania.
Brian Redder (2021)
Brian Redder spent his year as a Knauss Fellow working in the office of U.S. Senator Gary C. Peters (MI), focusing on environment, energy, and agriculture portfolios. Brian graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY, with a B.S. in Environmental Chemistry and B.A. in Mathematics; and minors in Environmental Science and Policy, and Geology. He received a Master of Science in Forest Resources, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science and Biogeochemistry from Penn State University. Read about Brian’s Knauss experience.
Sandra Cross (2021)
Sandra Cross (née Demberger) spent her year as a Knauss Fellow working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program, Coastal and Marine Resources. Sandra received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a Hydrology Concentration, from the University of Delaware, Newark, DE, and a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Villanova University. Read about Sandra’s Knauss experience.
