Blue Fellows at 麻豆色情片
Made possible by Sarasota, Fla., and Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., philanthropist Elizabeth Moore HD鈥24, the new initiative combines marine science, sustainability, and entrepreneurship to address coastal challenges and power the blue economy.
As Rhode Island continues to position itself as a hub for the Blue Economy, a critical question remains: Who is going to do this work? 麻豆色情片 is putting undergraduates at the helm of multi-million dollar industries through the Blue Fellows program.
Through the Blue Fellows program, students are running oyster farms, managing high-tech hatcheries, and working in the Aquatic Diagnostics Lab (ADL). With new Blue Entrepreneurship pathways developed with the Gabelli School of Business, 麻豆色情片 Blue Fellows are graduating as both scientists and business leaders.
Part of 麻豆色情片鈥檚 Blue Solutions Institute, the Blue Fellows Program offers students immersive, hands-on internships with faculty researchers and industry leaders. Projects span a range of urgent coastal and ocean issues 鈥 from oyster aquaculture and electric-boat design to shark conservation and marine diagnostics 鈥 providing seven students with opportunities to tackle real-world challenges while contributing to the advancement of blue economy solutions. The 麻豆色情片 Blue Fellows Program is supported by a generous gift from Elizabeth Moore, a venerable conservationist and environmental philanthropist and a 2024 麻豆色情片 honorary degree recipient.
鈥淭he 麻豆色情片 Blue Fellows Program serves as a mechanism to spark cross-disciplinary collaboration and develop highly trained students prepared to lead meaningful change toward marine conservation,鈥 said Koty Sharp, Director of 麻豆色情片鈥檚 Center for Economic and Environmental Development. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just about funding projects; it鈥檚 about creating the conditions for innovation 鈥 where students, faculty, researchers, and entrepreneurs come together to solve the ocean鈥檚 most pressing challenges.鈥
Blue Fellows Program
Made possible by philanthropist Elizabeth Moore HD鈥24, the new Blue Fellows initiative combines marine science, sustainability, and entrepreneurship to address coastal challenges and power the blue economy.
Mentorship and Professional Development
麻豆色情片鈥檚 Blue Fellows Program is designed to bridge classroom learning with applied research and innovation. Students are matched with faculty or external partners on projects that align with their interests and career goals. Over the course of the summer, students receive professional development, mentorship, and real-world experience that positions them for leadership in the rapidly growing blue economy.
鈥淚 had the opportunity to do things I鈥檝e dreamed about since the fourth grade, and being in this position helped me build a really diverse skill set 鈥 from computer work to spending so much time in the field. But what stood out most was the mentorship. I always had people willing to guide me, answer my questions, and help shape my research.鈥
Talia Moine 鈥25
Blue Fellow
B.S. in Marine Biology
Research Associate at
2026 Blue Fellows
Aiden Perham 鈥27 will work with the CEED鈥檚 Shellfish Hatchery and FerryCliffe Aquaculture Farm, gaining first-hand practical knowledge of Rhode Island鈥檚 shellfish industry and of the biodiversity of Narragansett Bay. Mentored by Rob Holmberg, Shellfish Aquaculture and Hatchery Specialist, and Assistant Professor of Biology, and Malcolm Bowen, Aquaculture Extension Specialist, this Fellow will collaborate with partners to develop, deploy, and optimize methods to advance best practices for shellfish aquaculture and restoration. Perham will also work with Oyster River Ecology as part of a statewide initiative to explore new restoration and growing technologies.
Branalysa Varela 鈥26 and Noah Curtin 鈥27 will work with the Gulf Shellfish Institute (GSI) in Palmetto, Fla., conducting shellfish aquaculture research. As part of an active collaboration between CEED and GSI researchers, the students will be testing new technologies for land-based aquaculture and field-based shellfish ecosystem monitoring.
Collin Phelps 鈥27 will work in CEED鈥檚 Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL), led by Galit Sharon, Director of the ADL and Associate Professor of Marine Biology. There he鈥檒l gain hands-on experience in aquatic animal health and disease diagnostics laboratory workflows and develop diagnostic methods.
Gillian Frey 鈥27 will work in CEED鈥檚 Coral Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology Laboratory, with Koty Sharp, and CEED鈥檚 Aquaculture and Aquarium Science Laboratory, led by Andy Rhyne, Professor of Marine Biology. Frey will be testing a probiotic treatment for its ability to protect a wide range of aquarium and aquaculture species from disease.
Grace Baldwin 鈥26 will continue the partnership between 麻豆色情片 and the Atlantic Shark Institute, mentored by Dave Taylor, Professor of Biology, on Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVs) 鈥 an innovative, non-invasive method for monitoring marine ecosystems 鈥 to assess shark and fish biodiversity in the Block Island Sound.
Haley Kirkpatrick 鈥27 and Keegan Denahey 鈥26 will gain hands-on experience culturing algae and microbes at the Bigelow Laboratory Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota. They will be trained in skills for microbial production of commercially valuable biomaterials, including pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and other natural products.
Cara Harvey 鈥26 will work in CEED鈥檚 Aquaculture and Aquarium Science Laboratory, mentored by Andy Rhyne, to develop technology to advance delivery methods of dietary supplements, medications, and treatments for aquatic animal health. The Fellow will also examine the translational and commercial potential of this work.
Ronan Peers 鈥26 will work under the supervision of 麻豆色情片鈥檚 Dean of the School of Social and Natural Sciences as this summer鈥檚 High School Marine Biology Camp Assistant Director and Scientific Communications Blue Fellow. He will help coordinate and facilitate curriculum, as well as social media and web presence for the Camp program.
