Graduate Assistantships & Fellowships
The Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences has several openings for qualified students who want to advance their education in marine and environmental sciences. The University of South Alabama and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab have an international reputation in graduating talented and highly competitive graduate students.
The University of South Alabama offers a limited number of graduate fellowships for highly competitive students seeking Ph.D.s as well as extramurally supported graduate assistantship and university-based teaching assistantships for M.S. and Ph.D. students. All fellowships and assistantships offer competitive pay (M.S. $19,200-$22,200) and (Ph.D. $22,200-$25,200), student health insurance and tuition remission.
Interested students are encouraged to contact prospective faculty mentors and apply by February 15, 2026 for full consideration. Students may be based at the University's main campus in Mobile or Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Students should contact advisors as soon as possible to attend a recruitment weekend in late January.
Additional fellowships are available through the Dauphin Island Sea Lab-FDA Joint Fellowship Program, which enables students to work collaboratively with faculty from both institutions on research that informs seafood safety and public health. Click here to learn more.
The Krause PhySSi (Phytoplankton Sediment Silicon) Laboratory at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama is seeking a full-time MS student (Graduate Research Assistant) to examine silicon biogeochemical cycling in the marine environment. The student will participate in field campaigns in marine systems and be responsible for running project-specific analyses as part of their service to the project; these data may be used for their thesis. On-the-job training for specific niche responsibilities will be provided (e.g. particle analysis, isotope tracer methods) and prior experience in data analysis and biogeochemical methods are a plus. Students will be enrolled in the Marine Science M.S. program at the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of South Alabama, and work both at the University and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (40 miles apart) as tasks demand. Stipend, health insurance, and tuition are included. The preferred start is end of May or early June 2026.
Qualifications and expectations:
1. B.S., M.S., or equivalent in Oceanography, Chemistry, Geology, Marine Science, Biology, or related disciplines.
2. Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
3. Strong organizational and time management skills.
4. Working knowledge of Excel or a computer language (e.g. Python, R).
5. Develop a study within the project for their thesis.
6. Synthesize results of their study and present to the community (meetings, peer-review manuscripts).
7. Participate in professional development activities and outreach.
Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Dr. Jeffrey Krause (jkrause@disl.edu) with the subject line “MS Position DISL” to ask any questions and/or apply for the position.
Applications should include:
A. Current curriculum vitae (include contact information, current/former academic institutions, degrees awarded, awards/honors, publications/presentations, other pertinent information); if degree is in progress, an anticipated date of finishing.
B. Names and contact information (email, phone) of three professional references.
C. 500-word (maximum) statement of purpose.
Official transcripts are not required at this time. Review of applications will begin immediately, and priority given to those received before 19 December 2025.
