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By Eva Ryan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship is a nationally competitive opportunity that sends graduate students interested in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and policy to the historical hub that is Washington, D.C. There, these students are paired with a congressional member or committee or placed within a federal program in order to learn more about the policies surrounding our natural resources.

Next in the lineup of introductions of the 2022 Wisconsin Sea Grant Knauss fellows is Elizabeth McNamee.

While pursuing her master’s degree in soil science and agroecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, McNamee enrolled in environmental biophysics, a course taught by Chris Kucharik.

“It completely changed how I see the world,” said McNamee, “I fell in love with biophysics.” McNamee carried on to describe how she would notice things that before taking environmental biophysics, at which she would not have batted an eye.

“I learned why fog gathers after a cool night or why it’s so dry indoors in the winter. Minor things that altered my perspective and showed me how physics is everywhere,” she said. 

Head shot of smiling dark-haired woman.

Elizabeth McNamee, one of four Knauss Fellows from Wisconsin in 2022-23. Submitted photo.

Kucharik, in collaboration with previous research fellow Mallika Nocco (Nocco is now a cooperative extension specialist), developed a project that involves applied science and answering scientific questions useful to farmers. The project became a Ph.D. opportunity for McNamee at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she has studied agronomy.

The research that McNamee has conducted as part of her Ph.D. so far revolves around applied science, water conservation and agriculture, all of which contain information that could be used to directly inform water conservation policy and improve farmers’ environmental impacts.

McNamee discovered the Knauss Fellowship opportunity through a friend and colleague. “I’m really interested in the intersection of science and policy,” said McNamee, making the Knauss Fellowship a perfect fit for her.

Eager to cultivate her current knowledge as well as explore new concepts in the field of policy, McNamee is most excited to improve her scientific translation skills in order to cater to broader audiences, and gain insight into how scientists can further apply their expertise outside of academia. 

“I’m hoping to gain exposure to how policy is created and how science can support it,” she said. “I’m excited to learn about something completely new. My position will be focused on coastal resilience.” She is serving her one-year fellowship in the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

With a background in agronomy, McNamee certainly has unique perspectives to bring the fellowship. These perspectives coupled with her strong devotion to her studies are bound to make a splash in Washington, D.C.

McNamee, along with the other 73 fellows, began the Knauss Fellowship on Feb. 1.

The post Meet the Knauss Fellows: Elizabeth McNamee first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/meet-the-knauss-fellows-elizabeth-mcnamee/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=meet-the-knauss-fellows-elizabeth-mcnamee

Moira Harrington

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In: Brookfield, Fellows, Joe Naughton, Knauss Fellow, Knauss Fellowship, SOST

Joe Naughton is broadening his horizons even while working from his Washington, D.C., apartment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Naughton is one of 68 fellows in the 2020 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program. The prestigious program places early-career professionals in one-year fellowships working in federal government offices. The program is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Sea Grant Office.

Joe Naughton at home in Washington with his work-at-home buddy, Suki, his roommate’s dog. (Submitted photo)

After being chosen through a competitive state and national process last July and then receiving his placement in the fall, Naughton began his post in early February 2020. Like many, he shifted from days spent in the office to telework in mid-March.

Naughton serves as the Interagency Ocean Policy Coordinator within NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). His role is a mix of science and communication, and his primary responsibility is as Executive Secretary of the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (SOST).

Explained Naughton, “The SOST is a federal coordinating body that sits under the NSTC (National Science and Technology Council), so it’s under White House purview. It coordinates all federal work related to ocean science and technology. I do a lot of work across these different agencies, coordinating communication, working on various reports, and then I communicate all of this correspondence up to the co-chairs of this Subcommittee. The co-chairs are from NOAA, the National Science Foundation and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and I serve as the SOST liaison to these agencies. But also, within the SOST, there are these technical working groups, which I really enjoy, since it’s a little more science-focused.”

With a background in water resources engineering from his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Marquette University—where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively—Naughton is finding that the fellowship is pushing him in some new directions. While he previously focused on hydrology and urban water issues, now he’s learning more about ocean concerns. “That’s a whole new world for me,” he said.

He’s also found unexpected benefits on the communication side: “One really great thing is I’ve worked a lot on my writing, which I didn’t foresee initially. I’ve been getting my hands on a lot of reports, and that’s a huge change.”

Like many professionals these days, Naughton spends a good chunk of his days interacting with his colleagues on a screen. “I have a lot of video calls, whether it’s hopping on these technical working groups or having quick tag-ups with NOAA, NSF or whatever other agency it may be. A lot of it is expressing concerns; these agencies have their missions, and they want that vocalized in whatever federal, coordinated ocean science work is being done.”

Naughton is also gaining exposure to some NOAA-specific efforts, such as the Ambassadors Initiative, in which someone like a fellow or an administrator goes to present in a school or other setting. Naughton helps assemble collections of materials for the ambassador’s visit.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on some of the travel, conference and professional development aspects of the Knauss Fellowship experience, Naughton is hopeful that some of those things will be possible towards the latter part of his one-year commitment.

In the meantime, he said, he’s found a supportive climate in his contacts with Wisconsin Sea Grant, the National Sea Grant Office and the other members of his Knauss class, who have been connecting virtually, whether to discuss each other’s research or simply have coffee.

Naughton is also enjoying the company of his roommate’s new puppy, a rescued Lab/beagle mix named Suki. While the pet adoption was in motion before the pandemic hit, it’s been a silver lining to be home with the new pup and help her get acclimated, or simply take a walk at lunchtime and get some fresh air.

Despite this highly unusual Knauss Fellowship year, Naughton and others in his cohort are making the most of it. Said Naughton, “The amount I’m able to touch in this fellowship is really great, and something I didn’t expect.” And despite the adjustments necessitated by the pandemic, said Naughton, “I’m definitely still fortunate to have this experience.”

Original Article

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsins-knauss-fellow-broadens-horizons/

Jennifer Smith