A total of 127 Ernest F. Hollings Scholars and 13 Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Undergraduate Scholars completed 10-week internships this summer at NOAA facilities from Maine to Hawaii. During the first week of August, NOAA Scholars presented their research and education-focused projects to an audience of NOAA scientists and their peers during the annual Science & Education Symposium in Silver Spring, Maryland.

2017 Hollings & EPP Undergraduate Scholar presentation award winners. Front row (left to right): Danielle Naiman, Kammie-Dominique Tavares, Mallory Munden, Blair Morrison, Briana DeGone & Caleb Perez. Back row: Kayla Gardner, Dr. Paul Doremus, Melissa Drown, Kenneth Erickson, Claire Hacker, Sean Ernst, Amanda Kedzierski, Trent Henry & Nicholas Barber. (Image credit: NOAA)
The Science & Education Symposium included two days of oral presentations and a poster presentation session. Closing out the week, Acting Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Management Dr. Paul Doremus discussed the importance of student research to achieving NOAA’s mission. The following undergraduate scholars received recognition for exceptional presentations (listed in alphabetical order by goal area).
2017 student scholarships presentation awards
Oral presentation award winners
Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Blair Morrison – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Marine Science, Biology and Geology University: University of Alabama Internship placement: National Ocean Service (NOS) - Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Presentation title: Green Invaders: Life Stages of the European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) in Southern Maine Danielle Naiman – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Environmental Engineering University: University of California, San Diego Internship placement: Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research (OAR) - Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Presentation title: Simulating Ocean Acidification in the Bering SeaResilient Coastal Communities Trent Henry – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Conservation Biology University: Loyola University, Chicago, IL Internship placement: NOS - National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science - Beaufort Lab Presentation title: Marine Spatial Planning for Aquaculture in San Diego Bay Mallory Munden – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Marine Biology University: University of North Carolina Wilmington Internship placement: NOS - Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (VA) Presentation title: Evaluating Informal Marine Science Education Programs in the Chesapeake Bay Kammie-Dominique Tavares – EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholar Major: Environmental Science University: University of Hawaii at Manoa Internship placement: NOS - National Marine Sanctuaries Presentation title: Identifying Potential Beach Sanctuaries on Oʻahu, Hawai‘i for Coastal Biota of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Healthy Oceans Melissa Drown – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Internship placement: NMFS - Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Sandy Hook, NJ Presentation title: A New Approach to Ocean Acidification: Design and Testing of a High Frequency CO2 System Kenneth Erickson – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology University: North Carolina State University Internship placement: NMFS - Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI Presentation title: An Extension of the Stepwise Stochastic Approach to Estimate Life History Parameters for Sharks, Groupers, and Other Data-Limited Stocks Kayla Gardner – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Marine Science/Biology University: University of South Carolina Internship placement: NMFS - Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI Presentation title: Partnering to Save the Pinnipeds: A Synthesis and Evaluation of Hawaiian Monk Seal Education and Outreach Resources Claire Hacker – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography University: Cornell University Internship placement: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) - Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Sandy Hook, NJ Presentation title: Quantifying Effects of Parentage on Early Life Stages of Atlantic Silverside (Menidia menidia) in High CO2 Habitats
Weather-Ready Nation Sean Ernst – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Meteorology University: University of Oklahoma Internship placement: National Weather Service (NWS) Headquarters, Silver Spring, MD Presentation title: Communications in the Eye of the Storm: Understanding National Weather Service (NWS) Decision Support Relationships Amanda Kedzierski – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Meteorology University: Ball State University Internship placement: NWS - Chicago Weather Forecast Office, IL Presentation title: Probabilistic Forecast: Adapting Airport Analytics and Developing User Training
Science and Technology Enterprise Nicholas Barber – Hollings Undergraduate Scholar Major: Geosciences University: Drexel University Internship placement: OAR - Newport, OR Presentation title: A Volcano on the Move: Tilt Data from the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Cabled Observatory at Axial Seamount