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Florida Sea Grant’s (FSG) 50-year legacy of protecting coastal communities is built on a foundation of student-led research, and at the heart of this effort is its long-standing partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation (GHF).
Together, they are proud to celebrate a significant milestone this year thanks to their continued investment in students and the future of Florida’s healthy marine fisheries.
The GHF works with local, national, and international organizations to conduct scientific research, fund affiliated researchers, and support graduate students at Florida colleges and universities who conduct research aimed at supporting the sustainable management of marine fish.
To support research in this field, the GHF and FSG partnered in 2010 to establish the FSG-Guy Harvey Fellowship, formerly the Guy Harvey Scholarship Award. This program provides each of the selected fellows with $5,000 for their research initiatives and to promote efforts to protect coastal and marine habitats and species. They also have the opportunity to work with the FSG communication team, allowing them to enhance their communication skills and share updates on their work.
Local 2026 Florida Sea Grant Guy Harvey Fellows are: Gina Clementi, Florida International University; Sophia Hemsi, Florida International University, and Julia Saltzman, University of Miami.
Since the inception of the FSG-Guy Harvey Fellowship, FSG and the GHF have awarded more than $500,000 in support of scholarships and fellowships for more than 100 students across 12 Florida universities and colleges.
“Reaching such a significant milestone this year is a testament to the enduring strength of our partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation,” said Dr. Sherry Larkin, director of Florida Sea Grant. “These achievements represent more than just numbers. They represent a decade-plus legacy of empowering Florida’s brightest young scientists to be at the forefront of marine research. By tackling the most pressing challenges facing our marine ecosystems and coastal economies, these fellows are providing the innovation and leadership necessary to protect our state’s coastal future.”
Aside from receiving financial support, each fellow also receives a certificate personally designed and signed by world-renowned marine wildlife artist, conservationist and GHF Founder/Chair Emeritus, Dr. Guy Harvey.
“Establishing an enduring tradition of supporting student research in collaboration with Florida Sea Grant is something we are very proud of,” Dr. Harvey said. “The FSG-Guy Harvey Fellowship program has significantly contributed to our knowledge of the marine ecosystem, advanced the achievements of promising students, and helped inform the public of this vital research efforts year after year.”
Meet the 2026 FSG-Guy Harvey Fellows
Gina Clementi from Flanders, NJ, is a PhD candidate at Florida International University’s Marine Ecology and Acoustics Lab. Her research focus areas are fisheries ecology, fish spawning aggregations, predator-prey dynamics and investigates the complex predator-prey dynamics of permit (Trachinotus falcatus) spawning aggregations at the Western Dry Rocks in the Florida Keys.
By utilizing acoustic telemetry and innovative fecal DNA analysis, Clementi looks to quantify how recreational fishing activities influence shark residency and depredation risk of permit game fish. Her work provides essential data to help fisheries managers mitigate shark-angler conflict and ensure the sustainability of economically vital sportfish populations.
In addition to her research, Clementi is a skilled scientific illustrator and outreach scientist, creating visual tools to make complex marine science accessible to students, fishers and policymakers alike.
Sophia Hemsi from Boulder, CO, is a biology PhD student at Florida International University, where she is continuing her research focus areas in behavior, sociality and ecology at the Heithaus Lab for Marine Community Ecology and Conservation. Hemsi’s research investigates the social dynamics and movement patterns of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) at high-depredation sites along Florida’s southeast coast.
By utilizing acoustic telemetry and social network analysis, Hemsi aims to determine whether shark aggregations at these sites consist of stable groups or transitory individuals.
Her work seeks to identify the behavioral thresholds triggered by human activities, such as recreational fishing and wildlife tourism, to inform non-lethal management strategies that reduce economic losses for fishers while supporting shark conservation.
A 2023 NOAA Hollings Scholar and FIU Presidential Scholar, Hemsi has extensive experience in marine predator research, including tracking killer whales in the Pacific Northwest and studying odontocete – toothed whales – community dynamics in the Caribbean.
Julia Saltzman from Cleveland, OH, is a Biology PhD student at the University of Miami’s College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focus areas are conservation biology, movement ecology and quantitative ecology, specializing in movement ecology and quantitative conservation biology. Saltzman’s research utilizes satellite and acoustic telemetry to track juvenile tiger sharks across Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay.
By pairing movement data with environmental variables like salinity and seagrass coverage, Saltzman aims to forecast how hydrological restoration and climate change will reshape critical nursery habitats in the Everglades.
A former NOAA Ocean Odyssey Grant recipient, Saltzman has conducted field work on more than 1,500 elasmobranchs and is an expert in using drone surveys for marine megafauna research. She holds an MS in Marine Biology from the University of New Hampshire and is committed to mentoring future marine scientists.
Applications for the next FSG-Guy Harvey Fellowship will be available from June 9 to July 22. Stay updated on eligibility criteria and deadlines at www.flseagrant.org/opportunities/guy-harvey-fellowship or reach out to Florida Sea Grant Student Programs Coordinator, Cassandra Sexson, at students@flseagrant.org.
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