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 coastal and marine resources in the New Hampshire Seacoast. The fellowship is intended for students who are interested in connecting coastal and 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, please review carefully as you work on your applications).
Projects cover topics across NH Sea Grant focus areas, including: Fisheries & Aquaculture, Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Coastal Communities, Marine Education and Workforce Development, and Communications.
THE DOYLE FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW OPEN!
Read below for details.
Program Goals
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Recruit and train the next generation of coastal and marine scientists, extension specialists, educators, decision-makers and industry professionals to broadly reflect the makeup of our nation.
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Broaden awareness of and experience with the Sea Grant model (Research, Extension, Education, and Communications)
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Increase awareness of and competitiveness for other opportunities within the Sea Grant network (i.e. fellowships, jobs, etc.).
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Encourage students to consider New Hampshire for graduate study.
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Reduce barriers to coastal, marine, and/or extension related careers.
Benefits for Students
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Paid summer experience mentored by NH Sea Grant staff and partners
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Work experience supporting various research, extension, communications, and other projects
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Enhanced understanding of coastal and marine resource management issues in New Hampshire and the Gulf of Maine
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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)
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Professional development activities to build career skills
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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 7, 2025: Applications due at 5:00 p.m. (EST)
- March 2025: Applicant review and project matching with mentors
- April/May 2025: Applicant notification and employment/HR process
- ~June 2, 2025: Fellowship begins
- ~August 8, 2025: Fellowship ends
NH Sea Grant will host six to ten Doyle Fellows in 2025, 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 2025 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.
Blue Crab Monitoring
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant research and extension professionals to develop and implement a larval and juvenile blue crab monitoring program and contribute to other monitoring efforts in Great Bay Estuary.
Coastal Science Communications
Overview: Work with the NH Sea Grant (NHSG) communications team to create digital marketing content, document NHSG-funded research projects in the field, and contribute to NHSG’s blog.
Estuarine Aquaculture Research, Restoration, and Extension
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and their regional partners to support aquaculture research, restoration, and extension in the Great Bay estuary.
Flood Ready Neighborhoods – Youth Engagement
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and community partners to support a resident-engaged project building coastal resilience at a neighborhood scale in the NH Seacoast.
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.
Human Dimensions of Coastal Issues
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and partners to advance research and analysis related to the human dimensions of coastal issues – including opportunities to work on fisheries and aquaculture topics and/or coastal and estuarine water quality perceptions.
Human Impacts on Estuarine Ecosystem Conditions
Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and partners to support applied research on human impacts on coastal and estuarine ecosystem health including condition monitoring and tracking of microbial contamination.
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 2025 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 2025. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact our fellowship manager directly (Lindsey.Williams@unh.edu).
Time Commitment
10-week summer fellowship with approximate dates of June 2-August 8, 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: Applications must be submitted via the link below by March 7, 2025 at 5pm Eastern.
Recipient Notification: Late April 2025
Students interested in applying for a Doyle Fellowship must submit the following via our online application form.
- Responses to Application Questions
- Resume/CV
- 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.
