Making Waves

These awards recognize and reward OSU undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship and pursuits consistent with the transdisciplinary, collaborative, experiential learning and outreach vision and mission of MSI.

Marine Studies Initiative Student Awards

 

The Marine Studies Initiative (MSI) is pleased to announce new Marine Studies Initiative Student Awards. These awards recognize and reward OSU undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship and pursuits consistent with the transdisciplinary, collaborative, experiential learning and outreach vision and mission of MSI. We anticipate MSI Student Awards to be an annual opportunity continuing in future years, the amount dependent upon fund availability and thanks to generous donor support. To advance understanding of the complex social, cultural, historical, and economic nature of the marine environment, preference will be given to students studying these human dimensions of the coasts and ocean.

These Marine Studies Awards may be used to further the student’s marine-related academic pursuits and experiences. Awards can cover expenses related to a student's undergraduate transdisciplinary endeavors, such as specific travel costs to professional meetings, research experiences, courses, internships, other experiential experiences directly related to academic pursuits--e.g., cost of airfare, mileage reimbursements, and field housing; books and supplies purchases; and memberships to online academic software. MSI Student Awards will be up to $500 per award. Awards will be distributed in one of two ways, depending on the nature of the awarded request:  (a) funds moved into student's OSU account, or (b) MSI Office directly pays for travel, books, supplies, etc.

 

2021 Marine Studies Initiative Student Awardees

Lily Rice 

"In Fall 2021, I hope to work with the REEF Environmental Education Foundation located in Florida, holding outreach events, educating the public, promoting marine conservation, and working with other non-profit organizations."

Kristen Alvstad

Support travel expenses to the South Africa Shark Conservancy internship in Fall 2021.

Lily Rice

Lily was able to use her award of $500 to travel to Florida for to be a Conservation Intern for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Over her three months there, she learned how to properly educate and inform the public on marine-conservation topics and learn more about plastic pollution, overfishing, shark-fishing, and more.

"These funds have allowed me to gain experience in the field of marine conservation and have ultimately helped me to take the first step towards my dream career."

Internship Report

"After I started my college career, I began planning to take a term off of school to participate in a marine-related internship. Traveling outside, and even within, the United States can be expensive and it requires a great deal of planning. After several months of hard work, research, and saving up money, I finally made my way across the country to Florida where I’d begin my 3-month internship as a conservation intern at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Due to the funds I received from the MSI Award this year, it helped contribute to the expenses of a plane ticket from Oregon to Florida. Without this award, it would have been very difficult to cover the expenses of travel and would have prevented me from furthering my marine-related academic pursuits. These funds have allowed me to gain experience in the field of marine conservation and have ultimately helped me to take the first step towards my dream career."

Continue reading Lily's report HERE. 

 

Kristen Alvstad

Kristen was originally going to use the funds for international travel expenses for her internship in South Africa. After it was canceled due to COVID-19, Kristen worked on a Oregon State Fish and Wildlife field crew surveying salamanders. She used the funds to take the Motorboat Operator Training Course (MOTC) with OSU at Hatfield in Newport, Oregon, to further contribute to her academic studies and career goals.

Internship Report

"Over the summer, I attended Oregon State's first back in-person MOTC course. This was an intensive 3-day training course in basic small boat handling and safety. Before this experience I had no boating experience. I am studying marine biology and plan on working in the field. For this I found it necessary to gain preliminary boating experience to not only give me an opportunity to have an introduction to boating, but also to show future employers that I have this crucial experience and certification plus the initiative to learn scientific boating in advance."

Continue reading Kristen's report HERE.