Fostering the Next Marine Researchers

Created in honor of the late Dr. Nancy Foster, former director of NOAA's National Ocean Service, the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship provides an opportunity for graduate students, to complete marine-related degrees that support research in NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries. NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary System facilitate field experience and skill building for scholars, helping them pave the way for their future careers. By supporting a diverse array of students, the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship helps students overcome barriers to higher education and creates long-lasting ambassadors of science and NOAA. Over the last 20 years, the 79 students who have been awarded this prestigious scholarship have had the opportunity to collaborate and connect with NOAA staff as they develop their careers.

a person takes water samples — Emily Aiken helped conduct water quality monitoring at the Keawanui Fishpond on Moloka‘i in Hawai‘i. Photo: David Ruck/NOAA

a diver takes notes and measurements while underwater — Lindsay Marks investigates *Sargassum horneri* in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: © Tom Boyd

a woman looks into a microscope — Carina Fish observes a specimen. Photo:Nick Zachar/NOAA

a group of foster scholars pose for a photo — Scholars pose for a photo during the orientation at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dayna McLaughlin/NOAA