Show 2026 E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship

Founded in 1968, the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program is part of a national network of 33 programs that promote better understanding, conservation and use of coastal resources. It works to identify Hawai'i’s resource management issues and guide scientific research.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship Program (Grau Fellowship). This is a call for applications for a two year Grau Fellowship based in Honolulu from September 1, 2026 to August  31, 2028. This year we are collaborating with six different organizations to host up to eight Grau Fellows. Host offices for the 2026 Grau Fellows are:

• Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources
• Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency
• NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
• NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
• Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association
• Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations

Applications are due May 13, 2026 via eSeaGrant and the chosen 2026 Grau Fellows will receive a $66,000/year stipend for the fellowship. Please share this announcement and the attached call for applications with your networks, and in particular any graduate students who might be interested in applying.

Important dates and deadlines

• Friday, April 24, 2026 12:00 PM: Grau Fellowship Info Session on zoom (register in advance HERE)
• Wednesday, May 13, 2026 5:00 PM: Applications due through eSeaGrant (https://eseagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/)
• September 1, 2026: start date for Fellowship

Eligibility

• Graduate students completing their degrees (Masters, Ph.D., or J.D) in Hawaiʻi between August 1, 2024 and August 31, 2026
• Graduate students from Hawaiʻi (graduated from a high school in Hawaiʻi) completing degrees outside Hawaiʻi (e.g., California) between August 1, 2024 and August 31, 2026
• Students in fields related to conservation, marine resource management, public policy, planning, and/or law of marine and coastal resources are eligible and encouraged to apply
• Fellows must complete all degree requirements before starting the fellowship on September 1, 2026
• This fellowship is open to U.S. citizens and nationals

2026 E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship

Are you a graduate student with an interest in management and policy decisions connected to ocean and coastal resources in Hawaiʻi? If so, consider applying for the E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship Program (Grau Fellowship). The Grau Fellowship is a two-year paid fellowship where highly qualified graduate students are matched with hosts in state, federal or municipal agencies and nonprofits in Hawaiʻi. Grau Fellows receive a $66,000 stipend for each year of their fellowship.

For more information please visit http://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/about/opportunities or contact Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Assistant Director for Research and Fellowships, Maya Walton (waltonm@hawaii.edu).