Student Partnership Program
Supporting student-led marine research through active partnership and practical project support.
Program Overview
The Student Partnership Program supports student-led marine research through active partnership and practical project support. It is open to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral candidate students, as well as early career professionals with clearly defined research ideas.
The program is designed to support students working on defined research projects, often aligned with broader marine research funding and support efforts. Our role is to help strong ideas move forward through partnership—providing support that aligns with the needs of the project and contributes to meaningful, usable outcomes.
What the Program Supports
The program supports student-led marine research projects with defined objectives, timelines, and expected outcomes. This includes academic work such as capstones, theses, and dissertations, as well as independent research projects proposed by early career professionals.
Projects should present a strong idea, a practical path to execution, and a clear sense of the methods, tools, or outputs the work is intended to produce.. The goal is to support research that can move beyond concept stage and generate results that are useful to both the project lead and the broader work we support.
It is not intended for open-ended ideas, general academic assistance, or loosely defined exploratory work without a realistic plan for execution.
How We Support Projects
We support projects through active partnership, practical collaboration, and, where appropriate, targeted funding. Our role is to help strong research ideas move from concept to execution through support that aligns with the needs of the project.
Depending on the scope of the work, that support may include project planning, field participation, technical input, photography and videography, or other forms of operational assistance that help move the work forward. Any additional support we provide is offered at no cost and does not reduce or affect any funding that may be allocated to the project.
This approach allows us to stay actively involved in the work while supporting projects that produce meaningful, usable outcomes. Some projects may also benefit from collaboration within marine research fieldwork efforts.
What We Look For
We look for projects that are clearly defined, research-oriented, and capable of producing meaningful results within a realistic scope and timeframe. Strong applications show that the idea is well considered, practically structured, and supported by a clear sense of what the work is intended to achieve.
Criteria
A defined research objective or question
A clear scope and realistic timeline
A practical explanation of how the project will be carried out
Thoughtful expected outcomes and proposed deliverables
A strong case for why the project matters
A willingness to engage in an active partnership, where support may extend beyond funding
An openness to shared use of project outputs generated through the work
Alignment with marine research and ocean conservation priorities
What To Expect
Our process is designed to be straightforward, collaborative, and focused on identifying projects where active support can help strong ideas move into real-world execution.
The Process
Submit an Application
Share your project idea, research objective, timeline, and what you hope the work will produce.Initial Review
We review the proposal for clarity, fit, scope, and overall alignment with the program.Follow-Up Conversation
If the project is a strong fit, we may connect to better understand the idea, discuss the project in more detail, and explore what kind of support would be most useful.Program Fit & Support Planning
If we decide to move forward, we work with you to shape the partnership around the needs of the project, including any practical support or funding that may be appropriate.Project Execution
The project moves forward with agreed support, collaboration, and a shared understanding of what the work is intended to produce.Outcome Sharing
At the conclusion of the project, results and outputs can be used to support both the project lead’s work and broader efforts connected to the program.
Apply To The Program
If you are a student or early career professional with a clearly defined marine research project that would benefit from active partnership and support, we invite you to apply below. We’re looking for strong ideas with a practical path to execution and outcomes that can create value for both the project lead and the broader work we support. Apply to partner on a student-led marine research project with defined objectives and meaningful outcomes.