Knauss Fellowship Opens the Door to a Life in Public Service
When CSU alumna Emilia DiBiasio graduated in 2024 with a Master of Science in environmental science, she expected the Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship to open a door to federal service.
What she didn’t expect was where that door would lead.
Through the Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, DiBiasio served as a budget planning fellow in the Budget Finance Division of NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.
“This opportunity at CSU gave me hands-on experience conducting research on Lake Erie with public service entities such as the U.S. EPA, Ohio Sea Grant, and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District,” said DiBiasio, speaking about her graduate studies before the fellowship. “Presenting our research on behalf of CSU to international audiences and stakeholders gave me the confidence to communicate complex research, build professional networks, and understand how science informs policy initiatives in the Great Lakes region. These skills have been essential to my success in the Kauss fellowship.”
The Knauss Fellowship is a one-year program that places recent graduate students in the executive or legislative branches of the federal government in Washington, D.C. DiBiasio applied through Ohio Sea Grant, highlighting her interest in public service, research and communication experience, and technical and relationship-building skills.
The application required a resume or CV, written responses, transcripts and letters of recommendation. Following an initial interview with Ohio Sea Grant, finalists advance to a national review process and are matched with host offices.
Her passion for freshwater rivers and streams, the Great Lakes and Ohio’s navigable waterways began long before the fellowship opportunity.
“I developed an interest in public service working as a seasonal biologist with the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO). Their research lays the foundation for interstate policy decisions to support the health and wellbeing of the Ohio River and its communities,” she said. “To further pursue my interest in public service, I earned my master's at CSU, working as a research assistant with Dr. Fasong Yuan in the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences.”
During her Knauss Fellowship with NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, DiBiasio served as a budget planning fellow in the Budget and Finance Division. She supported OMAO programs throughout the federal budget cycle by developing budget estimates and communicating funding requirements to Congress through the president’s budget submission.
“Beyond budget work, I had incredible opportunities to explore other interests both within and outside of NOAA. I sailed with NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson and uncrewed systems, flew on a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft, volunteered at World Water Week in Stockholm, and learned the inner workings of Congress on Capitol Hill,” said DiBiasio. “These experiences highlighted the value of data collection, demonstrating how federal agencies like NOAA use this information to create life-saving weather forecasts and marine safety alerts, which in turn help shape better policies for the future.”
As she pursues a career in public service, where she can serve as a bridge between scientific research and policy, she credits CSU with introducing her to the agencies, organizations and universities that conduct research and inform policy in the Great Lakes region.
“Our research using isotopes to investigate Lake Erie hypoxia connected me to organizations such as the International Association for Great Lakes Research, Lake Erie and Aquatic Research Network, and Ohio Sea Grant. These relationships provided the network and confidence needed to pursue national-level policy work,” she said. “Beyond these connections, the most rewarding aspect of my graduate studies was the mentorship I received from faculty in the Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences Department. In fact, it was Dr. Fasong Yuan who first introduced me to the Knauss Fellowship and encouraged me to apply.”
She added:
“The Knauss fellowship was a catalyst for my career and network in public policy and I have since transitioned into a full-time role as a budget formulation analyst, where I continue to support NOAA’s critical operations.”