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Marissa Hammond, Â鶹´«Ã½ environmental science and marine biology major '12, has received the 2010 Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Hammond's appointment begins this May with a one-week orientation program at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. During the orientation, she will meet the NOAA administrator, senior program managers, and scientists from NOAA's organizations. This scholarship provides academic assistance for two academic years (September 2010 through May 2012) and a summer internship with NOAA in 2011. For the second consecutive year, Hammond will intern this summer at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve where she will be involved with a larval fish study.

A native of Wiscasset, Maine, Hammond selected Â鶹´«Ã½because of its location on the ocean, its small classes, and the close interaction she has with faculty members. She presently works in the Department of Environmental Studies in a work study position. Upon graduation, Hammond plans on go into research and study lobsters, in particular. She grew up lobstering at the age of 10 with her father, who still works in the lobstering business on a part-time basis. 

The NOAA Ernest F. Hollings scholarship program is designed to 1) increase undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities; 2) increase public understanding and support for stewardship of the ocean and atmosphere and improve environmental literacy; 3) recruit and prepare students for public service careers with NOAA and other natural resource and science agencies at the federal, state and local levels of government; and 4) recruit and prepare students for careers as teachers and educators in oceanic and atmospheric science and to improve scientific and environmental education in the United States.