Doyle Undergraduate Fellowship

Three young women participating in Sea Grant's Doyle Fellowship program steer a boat across Great Bay to conduct oyster research in the summer.

New Hampshire Sea Grant's Brian E. Doyle Undergraduate Marine Extension Fellowship offers motivated undergraduates from a range of backgrounds a paid opportunity to work on projects and receive hands-on training and mentorship from NH Sea Grant staff and partners each summer. 

Doyle Fellows work on projects that support individuals and organizations seeking to make informed decisions regarding our marine resources. The fellowship is intended for students who are interested in connecting marine-related research to extension, education, and communications activities. Selected Doyle Fellows can earn up to ~$5,000 over a 10-week summer fellowship (see below for details). 

Projects cover topics across NH Sea Grant focus areas, including: Fisheries & Aquaculture, Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Coastal Communities, Marine Education and Workforce Development, and Communications. See details below. 

Program Goals

  • Recruit and train the next generation of coastal and marine scientists, extension specialists, educators, decision-makers and industry professionals to broadly reflect the diversity of our nation. 
  • Broaden awareness of and experience with the Sea Grant model (Research, Extension, Education, and Communications) 
  • Increase awareness of and competitiveness for other opportunities within the Sea Grant network (i.e. fellowships, jobs, etc.). 
  • Encourage students to consider New Hampshire for graduate study. 
  • Reduce barriers to coastal, marine, and/or extension related careers and enhance capacity for NH Sea Grant to address historically excluded groups in our programming/research. 

Benefits for Students

  • Paid summer experience mentored by NH Sea Grant staff and partners 
  • Work experience supporting various research, extension, communications, and other projects 
  • Enhanced understanding of coastal and marine resource management issues in New Hampshire and the Gulf of Maine 
  • Opportunity to connect with other undergraduates with shared interests (at NH Sea Grant and across the national Sea Grant network as part of the Community Engaged Internship program
  • Professional development activities to build career skills 
  • Expanded professional network and potential future job and graduate school references  

Please read our Doyle Fellowship Blog to learn more about the specific projects our fellows have worked on in the past. 

Contact

Lindsey Williams
Fellowship Program Leader
Lindsey.Williams@unh.edu

NHSG Fellowships Team 
Application and Program Support
NHSG.Fellowships@unh.edu


Timeline

  • March 4, 2024: Applications due at 11:59 p.m.  
  • March 2024: Applicant review and project matching with mentors 
  • April 2024: Applicant notification and employment/HR process 
  • ~June 3, 2024: Fellowship begins 
  • ~August 9, 2024: Fellowship ends 

NH Sea Grant will host approximately five Doyle Fellows in 2024, working on a subset of the projects listed below. Students will be assigned to one project based on their skills and interests and will be matched with a project topic and mentor based on their application responses and background. Students will have the opportunity to learn from other Fellows and mentors during their time as well. Specific project workplans will be developed jointly by the selected Fellows and their summer mentors to bridge project needs and applicant interests and background. 

Tentative projects for summer 2024 are listed here: 

Aquaculture Education 
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant and UNH Marine School researchers and extension professionals to develop and implement educational opportunities in aquaculture, in collaboration with the Seacoast Science Center.  

Climate Adaptation in Coastal New Hampshire 
Overview: Work with the NH Coastal Adaptation Workgroup (CAW), a network of over 30 organizations, agencies, municipalities, and consultants working on climate adaptation in coastal NH. Major projects this summer will include supporting an update to CAW’s database of projects and outcomes and creating timely, engaging content for CAW’s communication platforms (website, social media, newsletter).  

Estuarine Aquaculture Research and Extension  
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and their regional partners to support aquaculture research and extension in the Great Bay estuary.  

Great Bay Estuary Bottom Habitat Monitoring Project 
Overview: Work with Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) staff and partners to support habitat monitoring for use in watershed management. 

Great Bay Estuary Oyster & Eelgrass Restoration Project 
Overview: Work with Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) staff and partners to support a multi-habitat restoration project in Great Bay 

Green Crab Fishery Research and Business Development 
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and local partners to support development of a fishery and markets for the invasive green crab.  

Human Dimensions of Fisheries and Aquaculture 
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and partners to advance research and analysis related to the human dimensions of fisheries and aquaculture, with a focus on NH resident perceptions of aquaculture. 

Public Health Implications of Microbial Pathogens and Toxic Chemicals in New Hampshire Shellfish 
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and partners to support research on both the status and management options of microbial and toxic chemical contamination in shellfish and NH coastal waters.

Download full project descriptions

Context

Students are encouraged to review the NH Sea Grant Strategic Plan for additional context and detail on our overall program focus areas:

  • Healthy Coastal Ecosystems (e.g. coastal habitat restoration)
  • Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (e.g. local seafood markets, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture)
  • Resilient Communities and Economies (e.g. climate adaptation, stormwater management)
  • Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development (e.g. marine education, science communication, professional development and networking)

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to students who have completed at least one year of undergraduate education at a 2- or 4-year U.S. based college or university. Students who are graduating in 2024 are also eligible to apply. Applicants can be enrolled in any major or course of study (natural sciences, engineering, social sciences) and should have an expressed interest in marine, coastal or estuarine systems and community engagement. Students enrolled in a U.S. based institute of higher education are eligible regardless of citizenship status, this includes but is not limited to: U.S. citizens, permanent residents of U.S. states or territories, international students enrolled at U.S. institutions, etc.  Those who will be recent graduates of a U.S. based institute of higher education are eligible if they have the appropriate eligibility to remain and work in the U.S. in the summer of 2024. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact or fellowship manager directly (Lindsey.Williams@unh.edu).

Time Commitment

10-week summer fellowship with approximate dates of June 3-August 9, with some flexibility in start and end date for certain projects.  Fellows are expected to work 32 hours per week during the program, including time spent attending professional development activities as part of their duties. As this is not a full-time fellowship, we also understand that students may have other summer commitments and mentors can work out specific work schedule expectations as part of workplan development at the start of the summer. 

Stipend and Housing

Doyle Fellows can earn up to a ~$5,000 (pre-tax) for the summer. This is based on a rate of ~$16/hr for 32 hours per week over 10 weeks. Fellows are responsible for their own housing and transportation. UNH has dorm housing available for rent in the summer for those who might wish to live on campus. Students with demonstrated financial need may apply to NH Sea Grant for housing support. 

Application Materials and Deadline

Deadline: March 4, 2024: Applications due at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Recipient Notification:  April 2024

Students interested in applying for a Doyle Fellowship must submit the following via our online application form.

Apply to the Doyle Fellowship

  1. Responses to Application Questions (download Word version)
  2. Resume/CV
  3. Names and contact information for two references

All application materials must be submitted via our online application form.  Please send any application process questions to NHSG.Fellowships@unh.edu.

Related Links

DOYLE FELLOWSHIP BLOG

FOSTERING A SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY: NHSG is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication, and education programs that serve people from diverse backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives, and ways of thinking. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, age, disability and/or health status, ethnicity, gender identity, geographic origin, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and/or veteran status among others. NHSG does not tolerate any form of misconduct, discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, or sexual misconduct (e.g. sexual assault within its organization, at awardee organizations, field sites, meetings, or anywhere NHSG-funded research, outreach and education are conducted).