"The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant's founders and former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with "hosts" in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid fellowship."

For more information please go to official Sea Grant Website

Introducing NJSGC's Fellowship Class of 2020

Michael Acquafredda

Acquafredda first encountered the world of marine science during his Eagle Scout Project as an oyster gardener with the New York and New Jersey Baykeeper. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tufts University, he began his research in an organogenesis lab creating a disease model for heart disease. He also studied the effects of hypoxia on the embryonic development of the Capitella teleta at a marine invertebrate lab.

Acquafredda attends Rutgers University and is currently pursuing his Ph.D in Ecology and Evolution. He has focused his time on researching aquaculture at the Haskin Shellfish Laboratory. Acquafredda also participates in a multitude of marine outreach programs along with being a USDA Northeast Climate Hub Graduate Student Climate Adaptation Partner since 2018.

Victoria Luu

Before pursuing her Ph.D. in Geosciences at Princeton University, Luu received her B.S. in Enviormental Geosciences from Boston College and her M.A. in Geosciences from Princeton University. During her time at school, Luu had a myriad of research experience including acting as a lead scientist while coral reef sampling in Bermuda along with building biogeochemistry models at the Woods Hole Oceanographic institution. She also worked with scientists at university labs and presented at conferences

Luu currently participates in a series of education and outreach programs along with holding several leadership roles such as the Director for the Princeton Women in Geosciences Mentor Program. Luu hopes to pursue the systematic issues involved with translating marine science research into community impact in the future.

Brittany Schieler

Schieler has gathered numerous awards and honors from both Rutgers University and the University of Delaware along with hosting several lectures and seminars on Oceanography. She organized and served as a moderator at multiple community outreach programs. She also participated in undergraduate research studying the effects of wind patterns on the ingress of three larval fish species to Delaware Bay.

Schieler has given numerous presentations related to nitric oxide signaling while pursuing her Ph.D. in Biological Oceanogaphy along with releasing several publications on the topic. She is currently focused on studying marine microorganisms and plans to implement her scientific background to aid policy makers with solving complex problems.

New Jersey's Current 2019 Fellow

Omanjana Goswami