Student Support Awards provide funding to undergraduate and graduate students at NAML regional member institutions for conference participation, professional development, and marine research activities. Awards may be used to help cover eligible travel, lodging, registration, and other research-related expenses, but cannot be used for equipment or supplies. Typical awards are approximately $500.
To apply, students must complete the online application, have their eligibility verified by an academic advisor at their NAML member institution, and upload a single PDF containing a brief project summary, budget, and CV. Applications are reviewed after the submission deadline, and selected recipients are notified as soon as possible. Awards are issued directly to recipients for activities taking place during the designated funding year.
About Dr. Lou Burnett
Dr. Lou Burnett (1951–2026) was a distinguished marine scientist, educator, and academic leader whose lifelong dedication to conservation included being the first Executive Director of the National Association of Marine Laboratories (2019-2026). After earning his BS from the College of William and Mary and a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina, Dr. Burnett spent 13 years on the faculty at the University of San Diego during the 1980s before moving to the College of Charleston in 1991. Over a transformative 26-year tenure, he served as the Biology Department Chair for five years and spent 20 years directing the Grice Marine Laboratory, shaping it into a premier hub for marine biology. Believing that marine stations were strongest through collaboration, he became a pillar of regional and national network leadership, serving on the Southern Association of Marine Laboratories Board of Directors (2004–2006) and as SAML President (2014–2015) before taking the helm of NAML, leaving behind an enduring legacy of mentorship, institutional stewardship, and unified advocacy for ocean literacy and science.
235
Student Support Awards Since 2016
Establishing a lasting legacy of marine science professionals.
$100k+
in Student Support Awards
Supporting student research in marine science and conservation.
Past Student Award Recipients
NEAMGLL Student Support Awards 2025
| Last Name | First Name | NEAMGLL Member Institution | Project Title |
| Berger | Halle | University of Connecticut - Marine Sciences/CT SeaGrant (CT) | Assessing the Vulnerability of the Atlantic Sea Scallop to Ocean Acidification and Warming to Inform Fishery Management |
| Buckley | Timothy | University of Connecticut - Marine Sciences/CT SeaGrant (CT) | Viscosity Drives Feeding Behavior of Euchaeta norvegica |
| Cane | Hannah | University of Vermont - Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory (VT) | Assessing the effects of freshwater salinization and heatwaves on zooplankton community biomass and size structure. |
| Chase | Wunder | Rutgers University - Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences (NJ) | Acoustic telemetry and Autonomous Surface Vehicles (AUVs): Insights into summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) habitat use in a small tidal creek system |
| Czyzewski | Gabrielle | Stockton University - Marine Field Station (NJ) | Taxonomy of Demospongiae (Porifera) from the Indo-Pacific shallow waters |
| Eppley | Madeline | Northeastern University - Northeastern University Marine Science Center (MA) | Range-wide population genomics of the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) |
| Farrell | Shane | University of Maine - Darling Marine Center (ME) | Turf algae redefine the chemical landscape of temperate reefs, limiting kelp forest recovery |
| Fecteau-Volk | Claire | University of New England - Marine Science Center (ME) | Seasonal Cycles in the Carnivorous Calanoid Copepod Euchaeta norvegica |
| Gonsalves | Marley | University of New Hampshire - Jackson Estuarine Laboratory (NH) | Temporal variability in the bulk nutritional quality of estuarine plankton |
| Meinardus | Terrance | University of New England - Marine Science Center (ME) | How Does Dissolved Organic Nitrogen Affect Phytoplankton Physiology and Community Composition? |
| Millea | Daniel | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Censusing adult Atlantic Sturgeon in the Mid-Atlantic with side-scan sonarcounts in the Delaware and Hudson Rivers |
| Straube | Mikayla | University of New England - Marine Science Center (ME) | Replace or retain? A comparison of microplastic content in Eastern oysters raised in traditional plastic or novel non-plastic aquaculture equipment. |
| Veo | Jessica | Cornell University, University of New Hampshire - Shoals Marine Laboratory (ME) | Acoustic, haul out, and breeding behavior of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) in winter at the Isles of Shoals, ME, USA |
| Wagner | Zachary | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (ME) | The Effects of Temperature and Viscosity on Freshwater Copepod Body Size |
NEAMGLL Student Support Awards 2024
| Last Name | First Name | NEAMGLL Member Institution | Project Title |
| Avery | Tess | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Integrative tool kit for assessing diet of Sand Tiger sharks |
| Karg | Lily | University of Minnesota - Large Lakes Observatory MN | Pigment Biomarkers of cyanobacterial Presence |
| Kehne | Mitch | Michigan Technological University - Great Lakes Research Center (MI) | Assessing the Nutritional Quality and Fate of Mussel Veligers |
| LeBlanc | Rebecca | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Visual and Metabolic Physiology of Marsh Fiddler Crabs |
| Meier | Dylan | Stockton University - Marine Field Station (NJ) | Taxonomy of deep-sea echinoderms |
| Motz | Noah | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Understanding habitat provisioning by oyster culture |
| Orrantia | Isabella | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (DE) | Getting jacked - copepod style |
| Penka | Michael | Ohio State University - Stone Laboratory (OH) | Effects of Turbidity on Reaction of Smallmouth Bass |
| Schmidt | Anna | University of Vermont - Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory (VT) | Zooplankton diel vertical migration mediating carbon flux |
| Warner | Katelynn | University of Vermont - Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory (VT) | Lake responses to extreme climatic events |
| Wiernicki | Caroline | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Efficacy of sharks and CTD tag technology |
| Wunder | Chase | Rutgers University - Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences (NJ) | Ocean-to-estuary connections of summer flounder |
| Yiu | Dara | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (ME) | Carbon isotopes to reveal importance of kelp-derived energy |
NEAMGLL Student Support Awards 2023
| Last Name | First Name | NEAMGLL Member Institution | Project Title |
| Agblemanyo | Felix Edufia | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Controls of surfactants in the North Atlantic Ocean's sea surface microlayer (SML) |
| Benedict | Alia | University of Minnesota - Large Lakes Observatory (MN) | The role of brown energy in winter food webs of the Great Lakes and its relationship to the microbial loop |
| Chapina | Rosaura | University of Vermont - Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory (VT) | Understanding the migration behavior of zooplankton under hypolimnetic hypoxic conditions in lakes |
| Doberstein | Alicia | University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee - School of Freshwater Sciences (WI) | Capturing bathymetric data in shallow freshwater lakes: A case study on Laguna Bacalar, Mexico |
| Fitz | Riley | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (ME) | Effect of diet on the thermal tolerance of American lobster postlarvae |
| Heines | Ryan | Michigan Technological University - Great Lakes Research Center (MI) | Understanding mechanisms of co-occurrence in saltmarsh nekton pond communities to better inform saltmarsh restoration activities |
| Karlsson | Julie | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (ME) | An anlaysis of the cardiac performance of American lobster larvae (Homarus americanus) at varying temperatures |
| Ouimet | Alexandra | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (ME) | Marine cladocera - investigating environmental conditions best suited for their survival in laboratory settings |
| Pena | Riley | University of Connecticut - Marine Sciences/CT SeaGrant (CT) | The effect of ocean acidification on predatory-prey interactions |
| Richards | Alexander | University of Massachusetts, Boston - Nantucket Field Station (MA) | Assessing the status of the Spadefoot toad (S. holbrookii) in Cape Cod and neighboring islands using comparative qPCR analysis techniques |
| Risley | Sarah | University of Maine - Darling Marine Center (ME) | Capturing bathymetric data in shallow freshwater lakes, a case study on Laguna Bacalar, Mexico |
| Roday | Rachel | University of Delaware - School of Marine Science and Policy (DE) | Examining the network connectivity and habitat use of the diadromous American shad using acoustic telemetry |
| Sandborn | Daniel | University of Minnesota - Large Lakes Observatory (MN) | Carbon dioxide cycling in large lakes and oceans using novel water chemistry instrumentation to enhance data accessibility |
NEAMGLL Student Support Awards 2022
| Last Name | First Name | NEAMGLL Member Institution | Home Institution |
| Collins | Hannah | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences |
| Conowall | Peter | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences | University of Minnesota Duluth |
| Dwyer | Julia | Marine Laboratory | Roger Williams University |
| Hanson | Bennett | Large Lakes Observatory | University of Minnesota Duluth |
| Huff | Audrey | Large Lakes Observatory | University of Minnesota Duluth |
| Olsen | Marion> | Marine Laboratory | Roger Williams University |
| Quintanilla | Maci | Great Lakes Research Center | Michigan Technological University |
| Sanford | Elizabeth | Graduate School of Oceanography | Roger Williams University |
| Schmitz | Noel | Stone Laboratory on Lake Erie | The Ohio State University |
| Schwoerer | Guenter | Large Lakes Observatory | University of Minnesota Duluth |
| Zhou | Lingjie | Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences | University of Connecticut |
SAML Student Support Awards 2024
| Last Name | First Name | SAML Member Institution | Project Title |
| Bartoloni | Sarah | University of South Florida - College of Marine Science (FL) | Predicting pH at in-situ temperature for aquatic environments |
| Capistrant-Fossa | Kyle | University of Texas - Marine Science Institute (TX) | Quantifying Net Ecosystem Metabolism of Mixed Drift Algal Seagrass Meadow Assemblages |
| Choi | Jonathan | Duke University - Duke University Marine Lab (NC) | Endangered Species Act Science & Offshore Wind Energy |
| Davis | Abigail | College of Charleston - Grice Marine Laboratory (SC) | To present thesis research on the ecophysiology of Chondria tumulosa at the 2024 Hawaii Conservation Conference |
| Davis | Sarah | Texas A&M University, Galveston - Dept. of Marine Biology (TX) | Microbial response to perfluorooctane sulfonate: shifting community composition and diversity in a natural algal-bacterial assemblage |
| Dawson | Madeleine | University of Miami - Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (FL) | Deep Ocean Island Wake Parameterization through Machine Learning Detection, and Segmentation of SAR Images |
| de Barros | Matheus | Alabama's Marine Science Institution - Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory (AL) | Quantifying fish biomass dynamics from enhanced growth rates: a case study in restored seascapes in the northern Gulf of Mexico |
| Gahn | Michael | Texas A&M University, Galveston - Dept. of Marine Biology (TX) | Investigating the Occurrence of Plastic in Historic Fishes from Galveston Bay Estuary System |
| Harshbarger | Anne | Duke University - Duke University Marine Lab (NC) | Decisions, decisions: Fine-scale group decision-making processes in groups of pilot whales |
| Knight | Maggie | College of Charleston - Grice Marine Laboratory (SC) | Characterization of Phthalate Metabolites in the Blubber of Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, FL, USA |
| Lavelle | Aileen | Duke University - Duke University Marine Lab (NC) | Environmental Indicators Predicting Loggerhead Sea Turtle Occurence in Southern California during El Niño Conditions |
| Martin Mayor | Macarena | University of South Florida - College of Marine Science (FL) | Spectrophotometric determination of the bicarbonate dissociation constant (K2) in estuarine waters and a model for all natural waters |
| McClain | Samantha | Texas A&M University - Dept. of Oceanography (TX) | Short Term Improvement in Coastal Acidification and Eutrophication along a Coral Reef at Kahekili Beach Park in Maui, Hawaii |
| Mintz | Mallory | University of Georgia - Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (GA) | Akashiwo Sanguinea Blooms in Coastal Georgia: Insights from high-resolution monitoring efforts |
| Molino | Grace | Virginia Institute of Marine Science - Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | Implications of privately-owned levees on salt marsh adaptation to sea-level rise |
| Neill | Melman | University of Texas - Marine Science Institute (TX) | Physiology, Life History, and the Pace of Life: Understanding the Role of Cryptobenthic Fishes in Coral Reef Ecosystems |
| Parente | Caitlyn | University of South Florida - College of Marine Science (FL) | Labile Nickel in the North Atlantic |
| Scott | Rebecca | University of South Florida - College of Marine Science (FL) | Mesopelagic fishes as a trophic indicator for the Gulf of Mexico pelagic ecosystem and implications for highly migratory species |
| Sheridan | Michael | University of Georgia - Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (GA) | Aerosol Trace Element Fractional Solubility and Deposition along US GEOTRACES GP17-OCE |
| Sullivan | Sarah | University of South Florida - College of Marine Science (FL) | Remote Sensing of Sargassum in the Florida Keys and its impact on water quality |
| Thompson-Grim | Jill | University of South Florida - College of Marine Science (FL) | Examining Climate-Driven Impacts to Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Distributions, Communities, and Populations in Spatiotemporally Identified Climate Vulnerable Regions |
SAML Student Support Program - Larry Pomeroy Awards for 2023
| Last Name | First Name | SAML Member Institution | Project Title |
| Anthony | Laura | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To present thesis research on cold water deep sea corals at the 2023 International Symposium on Deep-Sea Corals |
| Batterton | Berit | University of Texas-Marine Science Institute (TX) | To cover vehicle and small boat rental costs to collect salt marsh vegetation samples to assess marsh ecological functional changes from drought |
| Bonilla-Johnson | Annais | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To cover small boat rental costs to collect elasmobranch specimens for gestational studies |
| Bueno | Jenny | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To present dissertation research focusing on the application of remote sensing of intertidal oyster reefs in the Apalachicola Bay region at the 2023 American Association of Geographers meeting |
| Dawdy | Ashley | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To present "Movement behavior and habitat use of cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasu) in Apalachicola Bay, FL" at the 2022 Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute meeting |
| Dodsworth | Emma | Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | To present thesis research on living shoreline design at the 2022 Restore America's Estuaries Meeting |
| Engelbert | Kevin | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To cover partial cost of a day on the RV Appalachee to collect sediment samples for geochemical analyses seaward of St. George Island, FL |
| Gabriel | Chloe | Coastal Studies Institute, Integrated Coastal Programs (NC) | To cover costs associated with travel to collect shrimp black gill samples and transport them back to home academic institution |
| Gilmore | Jennifer | Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi - Harte Research Institute (TX) | To present thesis research focusing on community response and trophic dynamics after storms at the 2023 Benthic Ecology Meeting |
| Grenn | Julianne | Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | To present "Effect of Biofouling and Stocking Density on Microclimate in Off-Bottom Oyster Culture Grow-out Bags" at Aquaculture America 2023 |
| Mohan Rao | Devanarayana Rao | Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory (AL) | To present dissertation research focusing on hurricane and ocean heat budget modeling at the 2023 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting |
| Poslednik | Anna | Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | To present "Resolving the role of zoosporulation in the contemporary Perkinsus marinus life cycle" at the 2023 National Shellfisheries Association Meeting |
| Runion | Kyle | University of Texas-Marine Science Institute (TX) | To cover vehicle costs associated with travel to collect Spartina biomass samples and transport them back to home academic institution |
SAML Student Support Awards 2022 - John F. Vernberg
The 2022 awards are named in honor of F. John Vernberg and his contributions to SAML and the Marine & Coastal Ecology community. F. John Vernberg served as president of SAML in 1993 and has been widely recognized in the coastal ecology community.
| Last Name | First Name | SAML Member Institution | Project Title |
| Bowman | Randi | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To cover boat fees associated with graduate research |
| Byrnes | Matthew | Gulf Coast Research Lab (MS) | To present Master's research on ephemeral seagrass species at the 50th Annual Benthic Ecology Meeting |
| Detweiler | Derek | Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | To present "Seasonal shifts in source, composition, and bioavailability of dissolved organic matter along a temperate microtidal estuary" at the 2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting |
| Draper | Austin | Gulf Coast Research Lab (MS) | To present research on the habitat usage patterns of Gulf Sturgeon in the Mississippi Sound at the 2022 annual meeting of the Southern Division subunit of the American Fisheries Society |
| Ferris | Laur | Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | To present "Symmetric instability as a mechanism for topographically-enhanced mixing in the Southern Ocean" at the 2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting |
| Grenn | Julianne | Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VA) | To present "Status and Needs Assessment of the Minnesota Aquaculture Industry" at either Aquaculture 2022 or the Triennial conference in San Diego, California |
| Gwinn | Jessica | Dauphin Island Sea Lab (AL) | To present dissertation research at the US Symposium on Harmful Algae |
| Hannah | Rempel | University of Texas Marine Science Institute (TX) | To cover travel fees associated with going from her academic institution to the site at which she conducts her dissertation research |
| Marriott | Sara | Gulf Coast Research Lab (MS) | To present dissertation research, "Spatial Characterization of Critical Habitat and Their Impacts on Fishery Species Surrounding Marine Reserves in the Philippines," at the International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC) |
| McCollum | Sean | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To help cover research expenses associated with studying nutrients associated with seagrass meadows |
| Ridall | Aaron | Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FL) | To cover boat fees associated with graduate research |
| Runion | Kyle | University of Texas Marine Science Institute (TX) | To cover travel fees associated with transporting samples for his dissertation research from his field site to his academic institution |
| Umstead | Devon | University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (GA) | To present research from his involvement in the international GEOTRACES project at the 2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting |
SAML Student Support Awards 2021 - Lou Burnett
The 2021 awards are named to honor the contributions of Lou Burnett to SAML. Lou served as SAML President from 2014–2015 and was named a NAML Emeritus Member in 2019.
| Last Name | First Name | SAML Member Institution |
| Bennett | Clayton | AL – Alabama's Marine Science Institution - Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory: John Valentine |
| Blank | Nika | FL – Florida State University - Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory: Felicia Coleman |
| Clemo | William | AL – Alabama's Marine Science Institution - Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory: John Valentine |
| Davis | Elizabeth | VA – Virginia Institute of Marine Science - Virginia Institute of Marine Science: Linda Schaffner |
| Dowiarz | Samantha | NC – East Carolina University - Coastal Studies Institute, Integrated Coastal Programs: Reide Corbett |
| Gadeken | Kara | AL – Alabama's Marine Science Institution - Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory: John Valentine |
| Good | Jeffrey | SC – College of Charleston - Grice Marine Laboratory: Robert D. Podolsky |
| Gwinn | Jessica | AL – Alabama's Marine Science Institution - Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory: John Valentine |
| Hamilton | Blake | FL – Florida State University - Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory: Felicia Coleman |
| Jeanes | Reanna | NC – University of North Carolina, Wilmington - Center for Marine Science: Chris Finelli |
| McMains | Andrew | NC – East Carolina University - Coastal Studies Institute, Integrated Coastal Programs: Reide Corbett |
| Ridall | Aaron | FL – Florida State University - Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory: Felicia Coleman |
| Wilson | Stephanie | AL – Alabama's Marine Science Institution - Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory: John Valentine |
WAML Student Support Awards 2026
| Last Name | First Name | WAML Member Institution | Project Title |
| Yturralde | Iker | HI University of Hawai'i at Manoa | Resolving population structure and hybridization in Hawaii´s endemic seagrass Halophila hawaiiana |
| McElfish | Maya | CA University of California, Santa Cruz | Linking foraging behavior with morphology and neural anatomy in Santa Catalina´s rocky reef fish community |
| Dowling | Clare | CA University of California, Santa Cruz | Adaptations in Giant Kelp Ecomorphs Macrocystis pyrifera pyrifera and Macrocystis pyrifera integrifoli Indicating Climate Resilience |
| Perez Santos | Charlene | OR Oregon State University | Eyes in the Sky: Mapping Humpback Whale and Vessel movements via satellite to characterize collision Risk Hotspots in Pacific Mexico |
| Munstermann | Maya | CA University of California, Davis | Photoperiod and temperature regulation of gametogenesis and reproductive capacity in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) |
| Zuelow | Angelina | OR Oregon State University | Sea Cabbage (Hedophyllum sessile): Consequences of canopy change in a foundation species on community structure in Oregon |
| RamirezCruz | Luis | CA University of California, Santa Cruz | Comparing the performance of statistical vs mechanistic models of range dynamics of shortbelly rockfish in California. |
| Malik | Mahi | WA University of Washington | Molgula Tailless Evolution: A Failure to Converge and Extend |
| O'Neil | Riley | AK University of Alaska, Fairbanks | Do Alaskan Oyster Farms Influence Benthic Communities? |