Ten Marine Science Students Receive Maine Sea Grant Scholarships

Three University of Maine students are among 10 who will receive a $1,000 Maine Sea Grant Undergraduate Scholarship in Marine Sciences for the 2014–15 academic year.

The scholarship to Tyler Carrier, a fourth-year student of Barre, Vermont, will complement his multiple experiences in scientific research. Carrier has researched oyster disease in the laboratory of Paul Rawson, and his senior Honors thesis focuses on transport of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense, the organism responsible for harmful algal blooms known as “red tide.”

Mackenzie Mazur of Douglas, Massachusetts, is a fourth-year marine biology major. Mazur plans to attend graduate school and work in the field of marine conservation.

Benjamin Reed of Milford, Maine, is a third-year student with a double major in marine biology and aquaculture. He has an associate degree in marine technology from Washington County Community College and has worked in Maine’s boat-building industry.

In 2014, Sea Grant expanded the scholarship program beyond UMaine. Additional recipients this year include: Jordan Desousa from University of New England; Kristina Kelley and Jillian Perron at Maine Maritime Academy; Roshni Sharon Mangar, Madeline Motley and Eliza Oldach at College of the Atlantic; and Zachary Vetack from University of Maine at Machias.

The awards are made possible through a matching program in which each $500 award from Maine Sea Grant is matched with a $500 award from the student’s home institution. Students may use the funds for academic and/or research-related expenses. Scholarship recipients become part of Maine Sea Grant’s statewide network of researchers, Extension professionals, and undergraduate and graduate student scholars doing exemplary work in marine science. Awardees have the opportunity to participate in Sea Grant-sponsored workshops, conferences and other events related to marine and coastal policy, resource management, community outreach, and education.

The application deadline for the 2015–16 academic year is Friday, April 17, 2015.

The Maine Sea Grant College Program at the University of Maine is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Maine.