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.
Application Period for Summer 2026 Fellowships will open soon!
Projects for summer 2026 are already listed below. You can get a head start by reviewing those today! Fill out our 'Fellowships Interest Form' to receive an email update when the application period opens:
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 makeup 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.
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 visit our Meet the Fellows page to learn more about the specific projects our fellows have worked on in the past.
Contact
NHSG Fellowships Team
Application and Program Support
NHSG.Fellowships@unh.edu
Timeline
- February 15, 2026: Applications due
- February/March 2026: Applicant review and project matching with mentors
- March/April 2026: Applicant notification and employment/HR process
- ~June 1, 2026: Fellowship begins
- ~August 7, 2026: Fellowship ends
Summer 2026 Doyle Fellowships – Project and Application Details
NH Sea Grant will host six to ten Doyle Fellows in 2026, working on a subset of the projects listed below. Students will be selected for one project based on their skills and interests and will be matched with a project topic and mentor based on their application responses, interests 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.
Proposed projects for summer 2026 are listed below. Full descriptions are available here. Please read the full descriptions carefully prior to preparing your application materials as you will be asked to provide information on your background related to the projects you are most interested in applying to work on.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant and partners to assist in data collection to support creation of an AI tool that can aid in determining how close to molting invasive green crabs are and to test methods and gear to induce crabs to molt in support of building access to a growing soft-shell market.
Position Overview: Work with the NH Sea Grant's Science Communication team to develop, execute, and promote seafood recipe blogs and cooking videos.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and their regional partners to support aquaculture research, restoration, and extension in the Great Bay estuary.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and community partners to support youth engagement (primarily for elementary-middle school audiences) for a resident-engaged project building coastal resilience at a neighborhood scale in the NH Seacoast.
Position 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.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant Community Engaged Graduate Research Fellow to advance research and analysis related to the human dimensions of coastal issues particularly related to perceptions of and connections to estuaries and water quality.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant Community Engaged Graduate Research Fellow to conduct fieldwork to inform coastal habitat conservation and build community connections.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and partners in a field and lab-intensive fellowship opportunity addressing the research plans for several projects focused on microbial problems and beneficial processes associated with local seafood aquaculture.
Position Overview: Work with NH Sea Grant staff and partners to conduct background research and needs assessment planning around developing coastal and marine science opportunities for high school aged students for example through summer programming and extended learning opportunities.
Context
Students are encouraged to review NH Sea Grant's Mission, Vision, and Approach 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 2026 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 2026. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact nhsg.fellowships@unh.edu.
Time Commitment
10-week summer fellowship with approximate dates of June 1 - August 7, 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, and preparing for and presenting in a summer poster Showcase. 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 as long as project timelines and commitments are able to be met.
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 (see specific project requirements for those that need access to a vehicle and those with flexibility). UNH has dorm housing available for rent in the summer for those who might wish to live on campus.
Application Materials and Deadline
Deadline: Applications must be submitted via Workday by February 15 (links to submit will be posted in early January).
Application Materials: Details on application questions will be posted in early January.
Recipient Notification: March/April 2026
Please send any application process questions to NHSG.Fellowships@unh.edu.
