Written by Hannah Brown, FSG and UF/IFAS NCBS Scholarship Recipient

I have relied on funds from the Florida Sea Grant and UF IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station during the 2018-2019 academic year to complete many goals for my research and degree program. I have achieved several important milestones this year: I concluded data collection for four studies. I completed drafts for three chapters. I presented research findings at two conferences (one national and one international). I also graduated from the UF IFAS Natural Resource Leadership Institute.

I am set to defend my dissertation research on August 14, 2019, and graduate with a doctorate from the UF School of Natural Resources and Environment the following December. I will begin a post-doctoral fellowship with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program, beginning September 1, 2019. I will be working with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Conti through this fellowship, where I will focus in Division of Aquaculture and the new Florida State Hemp Program.

Receiving this scholarship was a major turning point in my academic career, and my success has been directly influenced by the recognition and financial resources that have accompanied this award. I hope to submit all four chapters of my dissertation for publication this next year and will begin applying for faculty positions at universities with coastal research programs in the Southeast U.S.

Awards, Honors & Service:

• Sept 2019 NASEM Gulf Research Program Science Policy Fellowship
• April 2019 Graduated UF IFAS Natural Resource Leadership Institute
• Aug 2018 Doris Lowe and Earle & Verna Lowe Scholarship

Presentations and Panels:

Brown, H., Jacobson, S. (advisor), and Israel, G. (2019, June). Environmental Restoration and Catastrophe: Analyzing Frames and Claims in Oyster Restoration News Stories. Poster presentation delivered to the International Environmental Communication Association, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Brown, H. and Jacobson, S. (advisor) (2019, March). The Future of Gulf Oyster Management: Stakeholder Preferences for Future Management Outcomes. Oral presentation delivered to Aquaculture 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Publications:

IN PRESS:

Jacobson, S., Brown, H., and Lowe, B. (2019). Communications and Outreach. Silvy, N.J. (Ed.) In The Wildlife Techniques Manual, 2(7).

IN PREPARATION:

Brown, H., Jacobson, S., and Israel, G. (2019). Environmental restoration and catastrophe: Analyzing claims and frames in oyster restoration news stories, (for submission to Science Communication).

Brown, H., Jacobson, S. (2019). The future of Gulf oyster management: The Innovation-Decision Process of stakeholder preferences for future management outcomes (for submission in Society & Natural Resources).

Brown, H. (2019). How accurate was news coverage of the BP oil spill? Perspectives from fishermen (for submission in Journalism Studies).

Brown, H., Jacobson, S. (2019). Mapping Success for a Declining Resource: Mental Models of Oyster Management in Apalachicola, Florida (for submission in Ocean & Coastal Management).

Brown, H., Jacobson, S. (2019). Collaborating for oyster management: Stakeholder-led recommendations for more inclusive decision-making (for submission in Journal of Extension).

Major Milestones:

• Collected data for Ch 2, 3 & 4
• Completed drafts of Ch 2 & 3
• Completed coursework
• Awarded post-doctoral fellowship
• Scheduled to defend dissertation on August 14
• Scheduled to graduate December 2019

Summary of Expenses:

• Printing and distribution of mail-based survey
• Travel and registration for two conferences
• Travel and accommodations for field research in Apalachicola
• Equipment
• Analysis software

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