WASHINGTON — The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today its 2026 cohort of Science Policy Fellows. Beginning Sept. 1, the 12 fellows will spend one year on the staff of federal, state, and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations across the Gulf region.

The GRP’s Science Policy Fellowship program gives scientists, engineers, and health professionals opportunities to apply and strengthen their skills while benefiting Gulf communities and ecosystems. Working with mentors at their host institutions, fellows will contribute their expertise to real-world challenges at the nexus of oil system safety, environmental protection, and human health while gaining science-policy experience.

“We are excited to welcome our new Science Policy Fellows and support them as they experience firsthand how scientific knowledge and evidence can inform policy and decision-making,” said Jennifer Griffiths, senior program director of the National Academies’ Office of Fellowships. “Through hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional networks, fellows develop the skills to communicate and collaborate across disciplines, sectors, and audiences and effectively connect research, policy, and practice throughout their careers.”

Now in its 12th year, the fellowship program has a network of over 90 alumni who have gone on to pursue promising careers at federal, state, and local government agencies, at nonprofit organizations, and in academia.

The 2026 Science Policy Fellows are:

Gracie Babineaux
Host Office: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RESTORE Science Program

Sean Baxley
Host Office: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection

Katherine Culbertson
Host Office: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center, Deepwater Horizon Program

Tyshawn Ferrell
Host Office: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Henry Fox Hausmann
Host Office: City of Mobile, Office of Resilience

Miles Jordan
Host Office: Marine Minerals Administration

Natasha Joseph
Host Office: Houston Advanced Research Center

Kaeri M. Medina
Host Office: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council)

Jakob Meredith
Host Office: Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council

Bennett Price
Host Office: The Water Institute

Christa Russell
Host Office: Gulf of America Alliance

Felice V. Yarbough
Host Office: Greater New Orleans Foundation

The National Academies’ Gulf Research Program is an independent, science-based program founded in 2013 as part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The GRP’s mission is to develop, translate, and apply science to enhance the safety of offshore energy, the environment, and the well-being of the people of the Gulf region for generations to come. It supports innovative science, guides data design and monitoring, and builds and sustains networks to generate long-term benefits for the Gulf region and the nation.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. The National Academies operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.

Contact:
Pete Nelson, Director, Gulf Strategic Engagement
Gulf Research Program
Email pnelson@nas.edu