Heads up! Don’t miss these student and educator opportunities

UPDATED: December 30, 2019. New student opportunities added!

As 2019 winds down, we want to make sure that all of our educators and students are aware of the NOAA opportunities awaiting them in 2020! Whether you’re a kindergartener or graduate student, a K-12 teacher or informal educator, there is sure to be an opportunity fit for you. Here’s an overview of our opportunities with upcoming deadlines.

Teacher at Sea alumni rowing a long boat in the San Diego Bay.

Teacher at Sea alumni rowing a long boat in the San Diego Bay. (Image credit: Ryan Hawk)

Teacher and educator opportunities

November 29 - December 12, 2019: Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)

The NOAA B-WET grant program aims to give K-12 students and educators Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) through indoor and outdoor activities. B-WET provides funding for seven regions around the country, four of which are currently open to apply for. Application Deadlines:

  • Gulf of Mexico B-WET: November 29, 2019
  • California B-WET: December 11, 2019
  • Hawaii B-WET: December 12, 2019

​November 30, 2019: NOAA Teacher at Sea

The Teacher at Sea program sends teachers to sea aboard NOAA research and survey ships to conduct hands-on, real-world research experience. Participants will work under the tutelage of NOAA scientists and crew. The application offsite link deadline is November 30, 2019.


December 1, 2019: NOAA Planet Stewards Stewardship Community

The Stewardship Community is a network that supports educators in the development and implementation of hands-on action-based projects that conserve, restore, or protect human communities and natural resources from environmental challenges monitored by NOAA. The application offsite link deadline is December 1, 2019.

Student opportunities

The Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program enables students to conduct two summer internships during their scholarship. Here, a student participated in osprey tagging at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary.
The Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program enables students to conduct two summer internships during their scholarship. Here, a student participated in osprey tagging at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. (NOAA)

November 30, 2019: NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest

Open to all K-8 students in the U.S. states and territories, the NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest encourages students to raise awareness about the issue of marine debris. Artwork should focus on how marine debris impacts the ocean and the Great Lakes environment, as well as what they are doing to help prevent marine debris. The application deadline is November 30, 2019.


December 6, 2019: Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship

The NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program provides financial support for graduate students, particularly females and minorities, in programs focused on oceanography, marine biology, or maritime archaeology. Student research must closely align with NOAA’s mission, with particular emphasis on meeting the science needs of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. The application deadline is December 6, 2019.


December 20, 2019: Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship

The Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship provides graduate students with the experience to work on a research project concerning coastal management and policy at one of the 29 coastal sites through the NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserves. This fellowship combines research, fieldwork, and community engagement to provide students with a well rounded graduate education and networking opportunities. The first fellowship class will begin in the summer of 2020 and the application deadline is December 20, 2019.


January 1, 2020: American Meteorological Society (AMS) Graduate Fellowships

The AMS Graduate Fellowship offsite link is focused on students pursuing graduate education in the atmospheric or related sciences. The fellowship provides students with financial support over the first year of graduate study, the opportunity to be special guests at the AMS Annual Meeting with exclusive events, and ongoing academic and career support from AMS. The application deadline is January 1, 2020.


January 24, 2020: Aquaculture Graduate Research Fellowship

The joint Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) - Northeast Fisheries Science Center Aquaculture Graduate Research Fellowship offsite link aims to support graduate students to help them become tomorrow’s leaders in aquaculture science and management. The selected fellow will have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive set of professional development trainings offered by VASG to enhance their career readiness. The application deadline is January 24, 2020.


January 29, 2020: NOAA Marine Debris Program - California Sea Grant Extension Fellowship

The NOAA Marine Debris Program - California Sea Grant Extension Fellow offsite link will support the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s work in California and assist the program and the California Ocean Protection Council with the implementation of the California Ocean Litter Strategy. This two-year fellowship, based in Oakland, California, will provide the opportunity to work closely with California Sea Grant's team of extension specialists, the California Ocean Protection Council, and other state agencies, on research, education, and outreach projects to help advance ocean litter reduction efforts in the state. The application offsite link deadline is January 29, 2020.


January 30, 2020: NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship Program

The NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program is concentrated in research involving population and ecosystem dynamics as well as marine resource economics. This fellowship is open to Ph.D. students who are interested in receiving hands-on, real-world experience to accelerate career development and broaden their education. The application deadline is January 30, 2020.


January 31, 2020: Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program

The NOAA EPP/MSI undergraduate scholarship program focuses on providing scholarships and internships to outstanding students studying at Minority Serving Institutions. This opportunity provides students with the chance to receive financial awards to support their junior and senior years of undergraduate study, two internship opportunities, and expenses paid attendance to an Education and Science Symposium. The EPP/MSI scholarship application deadline is January 31, 2020.


January 31, 2020: Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

The NOAA Hollings Scholarship Program provides undergraduates with financial assistance for two years of academic study and a 10-week, full-time, paid internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. This scholarship aims to help train the next generation of NOAA scientists, educators, and stewards for oceanic and atmospheric science. The Hollings scholarship application deadline is January 31, 2020.


January 31, 2020: University of Oklahoma Peter Lamb Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Peter Lamb Postdoctoral Fellowship offsite link gives those with a Ph.D., or those in the final stages of their Ph.D., the opportunity to research meteorological phenomena, forecast improvements, and the societal impacts of weather impacts. The application deadline is January 31, 2020.


January 31, 2020: The William M. Lapenta National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Internship

The Lapenta NCEP Internship Program offers up to 20 paid summer internships targeted toward second and third year undergraduate and enrolled graduate students that work with strategic climate-water-weather issues. Students will collaborate with one or more scientists at the five NCEP centers in College Park, Maryland. The application deadline is January 31, 2020.


February 15, 2020: Woods Hole Partnership Education Program

The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program offsite link is a 10-week program designed primarily for college juniors and seniors who want to spend a summer gaining practical experience in marine and environmental science. The program consists of a four-week course and a six-to-ten week research project – all in the sea-side village of Woods Hole. The 2020 program will run May 31 to August 7. The application offsite link deadline is February 15, 2020.


February 21, 2020: Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

The Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship is open to graduate students interested in coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes resources and the national policies affecting them. This fellowship gives students the opportunity to experience a year-long placement in federal executive and legislative offices where they will be able to see the policymaking process firsthand. The year-long fellowship will take place in 2021 and the application deadline is February 21, 2020.


February 28, 2020: Coastal Science Fellowship for Minority Undergraduates

The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium is committed to broadening participation in coastal sciences. The Coastal Science Fellowship for Minority Undergraduates offsite link will allow students to work with scientists, K-12 educators, extension specialists, environmental attorneys or communication specialists to learn how our coastal resources are managed, gain hands-on experience in research, outreach and education, and learn about potential career paths. Fellows will complete the 10-week fellowship on the Alabama or Mississippi coast. The application offsite link deadline is February 28, 2020.

 

Looking for more? Search our full list of student and educator opportunities on the NOAA Education Portal.