News

Wheaton Women in Ocean Science Award Now Accepting Applications for 2025

The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) is thrilled to announce the launch of the Wheaton Women in Ocean Science Award (WIOSA). A unique opportunity for early-career women in ocean science seeking professional growth, mentorship, and hands-on research experience.

This initiative will support one WIOSA Scholar and two WIOSA Interns, with research focused on one of the following key topics:

Seagrass ecology
Coastal blue carbon
Coral recruitment dynamics

The selected projects will directly support CCMI’s Blue Carbon Offset and Biodiversity Project, furthering critical research on climate resilience and marine ecosystems.

Photo credit: Blue Carbon Offset & Biodiversity – CCMI

WIOSA Scholar Opportunity

The WIOSA Scholar position is intended for a post-doctoral level researcher seeking to advance an independent research career. Scholars may propose their own research or collaborate on CCMI’s current programming. Preference will be given to projects that investigate:

The role of seagrass beds
Coral recruitment processes
Carbon cycling and its influence on reef and coastal resilience

Location: Little Cayman Research Centre
Fellowship Term: 2025–2027

Support Package:

$5,000 USD annual fellowship
$10,000 USD annual research support (including one month of fieldwork, diving, boat use, equipment, room and board)
$800 USD travel support
Conference travel funding to present at a regional scientific meeting

In addition, the selected scholar will mentor one of the WIOSA Interns through a transparent selection process.

WIOSA Internships

Two internship positions are available for graduate students (Master’s or PhD level) pursuing careers in ocean science. Interns will gain field-based experience by contributing to a project led by the WIOSA Scholar.

Key Requirements: