Kate Blackwell

PhD Student, Ecology and Evolution

Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship

Kate Blackwell is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, where her research focuses on Antarctic seabirds. Her work combines spatial analysis, genetics, and morphology to understand where birds nest and how those breeding sites are connected. She has taught undergraduate courses and laboratories, interned with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and studied in Norway as a Fulbright Fellow. As a 2026 Knauss Legislative Fellow, she is excited to help connect research with public decision-making.

Kate applied for the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship to pursue a career at the intersection of science and policy, motivated by her experience with the challenges of translating scientific data into actionable insights for decision-making. Through this fellowship, she seeks to strengthen her communication, writing, and strategic thinking skills while gaining a deeper understanding of how research can better support public interests.

She is particularly looking forward to observing how technical information is utilized within legislative settings and learning to transform complex data into clear guidance for policymakers.