National Sea Grant welcomes 2026 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship finalists

Posted January 26th, 2026 in Featured, Fellowships, News, Program
2026 Knauss Finalists, Anupama Chandroth and Laura Gray

The Sea Grant program has selected 48 finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship program. Two of those finalists were submitted by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, with the rest from 25 other state Sea Grant programs.

The Knauss Fellowship places early-career professionals in legislative and executive branch offices in the Washington, D.C., area, where they contribute scientific and technical expertise to the federal policymaking process for critical marine, coastal and Great Lakes issues. Established in 1979, the program has supported more than 1,762 fellows, many of whom have gone on to careers in public service, academia, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, and have significantly contributed to environmental policy and management.

As part of their fellowship, the 2026 finalists will participate in professional development and mentorship opportunities and build their networks. This spring, the finalists will participate in the placement process, during which they will connect with one another and potential host offices. Sea Grant’s 47th class of Knauss fellows will officially begin their year in D.C. in June of 2026.

Both Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant finalists will be placed in the executive branch; they are Anupama Chandroth, a PhD candidate in geobiology at Indiana University, and Laura Gray, PhD candidate in environmental engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

The 2026 finalists represent 40 universities across the country, and include 17 master’s candidates, 29 Ph.D. candidates and two J.D. candidates. They are biologists, resource managers, engineers, ecologists, lawyers, and more. They represent communities across the nation and are committed to making meaningful contributions to marine policy.

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Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

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Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective.

Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

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This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective. Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

Introducing the Lake Michigan Explorer!
Start exploring the varied factors that impact the Great Lakes with our Explorer Series. This searchable database of external resources can help you find hands-on activities that spark curiosity and inspire action.

✨ What’s inside?
Lesson plans, fact sheets, and reading materials
Engaging videos and visualizations
Easy-to-use filters by grade level, topic, and time.
Perfect for classrooms and informal learning, this resource empowers students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.

🔗 in bio for more.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17993556791875462
Introducing the Lake Michigan Explorer! Start exploring the varied factors that impact the Great Lakes with our Explorer Series. This searchable database of external resources can help you find hands-on activities that spark curiosity and inspire action. ✨ What’s inside?Lesson plans, fact sheets, and reading materialsEngaging videos and visualizationsEasy-to-use filters by grade level, topic, and time.Perfect for classrooms and informal learning, this resource empowers students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.🔗 in bio for more.