Students standing near bay
Story Research

Preparing To Save the Oceans

Christianne Salvador

CSU students are making waves in preserving California’s precious marine resources.

Students standing near bay

​The California Sea Grant Fellows Program recruits students for a prestigious fellowship with a government agency to address​ some of the ocean's biggest challenges.  (Photo​ credit: Pike Spector, 2019 Sea Grant fellow at NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary)

 

​​​​More than half of this year's recently announced California Sea Grant state fellows are California State University students or graduates. This demonstrates the value of a high-quality CSU education in preparing the next generation of scientists and environmental policymakers to protect and conserve California's coast. 

Students recruited for the fellowship are offered a rare opportunity to participate in a one-year, hands-on training at a government agency addressing some of the ocean's biggest challenges. Fellows are distributed among 21 different agencies, including the Ocean Protection Council and the Fish and Game Commission, where they will cut their professional teeth in ocean policy and management.​

“It's more than your average internship. Students sit at the table and participate in high-level decision making," says Miho Ligare, former research and fellowship coordinator at the California Sea Grant. “Within California and the marine field, the State Fellows Program is the only program that connects students to government agencies, giving them a competitive edge in terms of work experience."

female student standing on ship Marguerite McCann, 2019 Sea Grant fellow at the California Fish and Game Commission, on board the E/V Nautilus to explore the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo credit: Marguerite McCann)
Female student sitting at a table with California State Parks commissioners
"[As a fellow,] I had front row seats in how information is gathered, shared and used to inform critical decisions affecting ​the wildlife of California."​ (Photo credit: Marguerite McCann​)

After the fellowship, many students successfully land jobs at public agencies. Former Sea Grant fellow and San Francisco State alumna Hayley Carter (M.S. in marine biology, 2012) was promoted to work full-time after her fellowship at the Ocean Science Trust.

“The fellowship helped kick-start my career, expanded my professional network throughout California and beyond, and exposed me to the many facets of how natural resource management decisions are made," Carter says.

This year's 15 CSU-affiliated fellows will work on a wide range of disciplines, including environmental policy and management, marine and watershed science, and climate change research.

In fact, California is a national leader on climate change and the CSU plays a significant role in supporting the state's environmental priorities. Faculty and students across the CSU are fighting to save California's natural resources through programs such as the CSU's Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST) and the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories—two research programs working to address oceanic issues.

Female student standing on marsh looking through telescope Tracy Grimes, 2019 Sea Grant fellow at the Delta Stewardship Council, tracking sea otters using radio telemetry during her master's thesis. (Photo credit: Trac​y Grimes​)​​

Ligare says many CSU students make standout applicants for the California Sea Grant Fellowship every year, partly due to their previous experience at COAST.​

The CSU offers numerous research programs aimed at strengthening students' candidacy for professional opportunities, serving as stepping stones into highly coveted programs and skill-based careers.

 “We find a lot of unique candidates at the CSU," says Ligare. “Participating in the CSU's science programs speaks to the caliber of their capability—we know they've done the research and they know how to run projects.

“We are confident in CSU students because they are diverse, well-rounded and they come from a strong technical background."​


​​​Learn more about st​udent research opportunities ​at t​he CSU.​​​​​​​​​​



Careers; Coast and Ocean