Community-Engaged Fellows begin summer work

A group of undergraduate students is spending this summer working in coastal communities through the Alaska Sea Grant Community-Engaged Fellowship. Each fellow receives mentorship from a host organization or an Alaska Sea Grant faculty member, and is part of a national cohort of 85 Fellows working with 23 Sea Grant programs across the country.

“We have long offered programs for graduate students and postgraduates to develop careers in marine and coastal sciences,” explained Alaska Sea Grant’s Davin Holen, who helped develop the fellowship at the national level. “This program adds new opportunities for undergraduate students to develop skills, conduct valuable work in communities, and explore potential careers. ”

In addition to working on projects, students participate in weekly professional development with peers across the U.S., and at the end of the summer present their projects to the group.

This year’s Alaska group includes six fellows—the most since the program began in 2021. They recently gathered in Talkeetna for professional development, which included team-building and career path discussions. They visited the Talkeetna Historical Society Museum and took a natural history rafting trip on the Talkeetna River.

“Each fellow brings valuable skills and perspectives shaped by their experiences and connections to Alaska, and I’m excited to see how their projects develop over the coming weeks,” said Alaska Sea Grant associate director Molly Cain, who leads the Alaska program with Holen.

2025 Community-Engaged Fellowship projects

Hannah Bogdan, a student at the University of Alaska Southeast, is working on a study of artificial bait, assessing the demand in hook-and-line and pot commercial fisheries in Southeast Alaska. Bogdan is based in Juneau, working with Alaska Sea Grant’s Gabe Dunham.

Archer Bowles, studying at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, is working with Alaska Sea Grant and NOAA on harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring and community outreach in Kodiak. Under the guidance of Alaska Sea Grant’s HAB expert, Julie Matweyou, his work includes collecting and processing phytoplankton and shellfish samples.

Deagen Carey, a recent graduate with a degree in environmental science from the University of Portland, is working with Davin Holen on the National Science Foundation EPSCoR project Interface of Change. Carey, who is from Anchorage, is looking at how environmental changes are impacting coastal communities in Kachemak Bay and the Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska.

Alex Devon is working with Davin Holen on the National Science Foundation POLARIS project. Devon’s project examines how revitalizing traditional subsistence practices can help rural communities facing food insecurity. Devon is studying at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), and has been accepted into a master’s program in applied cultural anthropology at UAA.

Kellie Miller, studying at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, is working on marine mammal surveys in the Bering Strait region, collecting data on marine animals impacted by a variety of issues, including HABs. Miller is working in her hometown of Nome with Alaska Sea Grant’s Gay Sheffield.

Dawn Smith is working on Coastal Connections Camps for middle school students. Smith will assist in leading several summer camps and develop and refine program resources. Smith is studying at UAA and will work from Anchorage with Alaska Sea Grant’s education specialist, Leigh Lubin.

For more information, visit the Community-Engaged Fellowship website.