Shaw Fellows

About the Fellowship

The Shaw Innovation Fellowship offers two programs to catalyze student innovation on campus by providing mentorship, curriculum, professional development opportunities, and stipend support. Shaw Fellows work with campus and community partners to develop and implement solutions to real-world challenges facing planetary and human health. Your ideas and actions will promote equitable, thriving economies in Maine and across the globe. In the 2025–26 academic school year, 12 Senior Shaw Fellows from across UNE’s academic programs will each receive $6,000 to lead an innovative project in their area of interest. In addition, two Innovation Teams will collaborate on an interdisciplinary project, with each team member receiving $1,500. As part of the program, students also have the opportunity to meet other local and regional innovators and attend specially designed workshops and events.

Meet the 2026 Shaw Fellows and Innovation Teams

Human Health Fellows

Headshot of Caitlyne Bobsein

Caitlyne Bobsein, Medical Biology/Health, Medicine, and Society ’28 and Hailey Carr, Marine Affairs/Global Studies/Political Science ’26

Health Care Storytelling and StorySlam Fellows
Meet Caitlyne

From Southern New Hampshire, Caitlyne Bobsein is a Medical Biology major with a minor in Health, Medicine, and Society. She was born in Oklahoma and has also lived in Arkansas. Passionate about health care innovation, Caitlyne is eager to connect with peers and design projects that inspire meaningful conversations in medicine.

Headshot of Hailey Carr
Meet Hailey

Hailey Carr grew up in Enfield, Connecticut, but her curiosity has always reached far beyond her hometown’s borders. As a Marine Affairs major with a double minor in Global Studies and Political Science, she explores how people, policy, and the planet intersect. Hailey is also fluent in Spanish. Her passion for health care advocacy and storytelling stems from her own personal experience and allows her to amplify the voices and experiences often left out of the conversation. She believes stories have the power to build empathy, inspire change, and connect communities.

About the MaineHealth and UNE: Health Care Storytelling and StorySlam Fellowship

This fellowship invites students to harness the power of storytelling to transform health care experiences. Working with MaineHealth and UNE, fellows help capture and share narratives that humanize medicine, foster empathy, and inspire change while gaining valuable skills in communication, event planning, and patient engagement.

Headshot of Jayden Schoppee

Jayden Schoppe, Athletic Training/Nutrition/Public Health/Health, Medicine, and Society ’27

Navimental: Adolescent Mental Health Support Fellow
Meet Jayden

From Bangor, Maine, Jayden Schoppee is a double major in Athletic Training and Nutrition with minors in Public Health and Health, Medicine, and Society. She is also a forklift driver and the Beverage Assistant at the Maine Savings Amphitheater in Bangor.

About the Navimental: Adolescent Mental Health Support Fellowship

The Navimental Fellowship focuses on improving adolescent mental health through technology and compassionate design. Fellows work alongside a team dedicated to creating tools that empower teens and families, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful solutions in mental health care while learning about social impact entrepreneurship.

Illustration of an avatar on a blue background

Emily Battye, Nursing ’25

Doula x Design: Creating Supportive Birth Environments Fellow
Meet Emily

Hailing from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Emily Battye is a 2025 UNE graduate in the accelerated Bachelor of Nursing program. She previously earned a degree in Psychology and also knows how to shuck oysters. Emily is excited to dive into maternal health with the Doula x Design Fellowship, learning how to improve patient outcomes and be an advocate.

About the Doula x Design: Creating Supportive Birth Environments Fellowship

The Doula x Design Fellowship combines creativity and care to reimagine birth environments that support families and providers. Fellows collaborate on design projects that enhance comfort and accessibility, learning how innovation can improve maternal health outcomes and strengthen community well-being.

Illustration of an avatar on a blue background

Payton Fleury, Medical Biology ’26

CellField Technologies: Biotechnology Research Fellow
Meet Payton

From Nottingham, New Hampshire, Payton Fleury is majoring in Medical Biology. She has a strong interest in laboratory research and enjoys hands-on work that helps advance the understanding of human health. Through her Fellowship project, Payton hopes to support and inspire future medical professionals by contributing meaningful scientific insights.

About the CellField Technologies: Biotechnology Research Fellowship

The CellField Technologies Fellowship immerses students in cutting-edge biotechnology research that advances cellular health and therapeutic innovation. Fellows collaborate with scientists and entrepreneurs to explore novel solutions that address pressing health challenges, gaining hands-on experience in a dynamic, research-driven environment that bridges science and business innovation.

Planetary Health Fellows

Headshot of Tyler Janik

Tyler Janik, Aquaculture, Aquarium Science, and Aquaponics/GIS ’27

Madeleine Point Oyster Upweller Fellow
Meet Tyler

Coming from Western Massachusetts, Tyler Janik is majoring in Aquaculture, Aquarium Science, and Aquaponics with a minor in GIS. He is enthralled by all things science and is happy to contribute to UNE's goal of sustainability through the Madeleine Point Oyster Farms project.

About the Madeleine Point Oyster Farms: Design, Build, Educate Fellowship

The Madeleine Point Oyster Farms Fellowship blends entrepreneurship, sustainability, and education. Fellows participate in oyster farming operations while developing outreach initiatives that highlight the ecological and economic benefits of aquaculture, gaining hands-on experience in marine resource management and community engagement.

Headshot of Luke Jenkins

Luke Jenkins, Biological Sciences/Environmental Studies ’26

Neighborhood Housing Trust: Community Outreach Fellow
Meet Luke

Raised in Colchester, Connecticut, Luke Jenkins is majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Environmental Studies. During a semester abroad in Tangier, Morocco, he had the opportunity to volunteer at a botanical garden, landscaping and maintaining the diverse flora. Luke is excited to promote community enrichment and bring awareness to sustainable practices and solutions.

About the Neighborhood Housing Trust: Community Outreach Fellowship

The Neighborhood Housing Trust Fellowship empowers students to support affordable housing initiatives through community outreach and engagement. Fellows work on projects that strengthen neighborhood connections and promote housing equity, gaining insight into the intersection of social justice and urban development.

Headshot of Annabella Lafond

Annabella Lafond, Oceanography/Environmental Science ’25

Maine DEP: Wetlands Loss Tracking Fellow
Meet Annabella

Originally from Sandown, New Hampshire, Annabella Lafond is double-majoring in Oceanography and Environmental Science. An avid skier, she will start her fourth year instructing this upcoming winter. Annabella is excited to clean, analyze, and process data for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection's wetland loss tracking initiatives and gain a deeper understanding of wetland loss trends across the state.

About the Maine DEP: Wetlands Loss Tracking Fellowship

This fellowship partners students with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to monitor and analyze wetland changes. Fellows contribute to critical conservation efforts by applying data analysis and fieldwork skills, helping protect ecosystems that are vital to biodiversity and climate resilience.

Headshot of Olivia Leighton

Olivia Leighton, Marine Sciences/Data Science/Chemistry ’27

UNE: Climate Change Education Fellow
Meet Olivia

Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Olivia Leighton is a Marine Sciences major with minors in Data Science and Chemistry. Her favorite animal is the rabbit, and she has her own pet rabbit named Gidget. Olivia is excited to add to her portfolio of research and get involved in a project with more climate change–related goals.

About the UNE: Climate Change Education Fellowship+

The Climate Change Education Fellowship engages students in developing educational programs that raise awareness about climate impacts and solutions. Fellows collaborate with schools and community organizations to inspire action and promote environmental literacy, preparing future leaders in sustainability.

Headshot of Richie McGovern

Richie McGovern, Marine Sciences/Applied Mathematics ’26 and Jasmin Townsend-Ng, Marine Sciences/Animal Behavior ’26

UNE: Coastal Observation Fellows
Meet Richie

Hailing from Halifax, Massachusetts, Richie McGovern is a Marine Sciences major with a concentration in Marine Biology and a minor in Applied Mathematics. He has played the saxophone for around 12 years. Richie is excited to analyze coastal data and help with science communication and outreach.

Illustration of an avatar on a blue background
Meet Jasmin

Coming from Charlotte, Vermont, Jasmin Townsend-Ng is majoring in Marine Sciences with a minor in Animal Behavior. She is currently working as a Coastal Observation Fellow and on the SeaMade Bar Innovation Team. In her free time, Jasmin likes to make art, be outdoors, and spend time with friends. She is excited to make a meaningful contribution to her community, engage in scientific research and applications, and build important career skills along the way.

About the UNE: Coastal Observation Fellowship

This fellowship provides students with the opportunity to study Maine’s coastal ecosystems and contribute to long-term environmental monitoring. Fellows collect and analyze data that informs conservation strategies, fostering a deeper understanding of marine science and sustainability.

Headshot of Kalei Peck

Kalei Peck, Marine Entrepreneurship and Marine Biology ’28

Madeleine Point Oyster Upweller Fellow
Meet Kalei

From Orrs Island, Maine, Kalei Peck is majoring in Marine Entrepreneurship and Marine Biology. She is an avid reader who enjoys starting her day with a cup of tea and a few chapters of her latest book. Kalei is excited to form relationships and create sustainability in the marine industry.

About the Madeleine Point Oyster Farms: Design, Build, Educate Fellowship

The Madeleine Point Oyster Farms Fellowship blends entrepreneurship, sustainability, and education. Fellows participate in oyster farming operations while developing outreach initiatives that highlight the ecological and economic benefits of aquaculture, gaining hands-on experience in marine resource management and community engagement.

Impact Storytelling Fellows

Headshot of Elizabeth Huggins

Elizabeth Huggins, Art and Design Media/English ’26

UNE: Community News Hub Fellow
Meet Elizabeth

Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, and now residing in Hudson, New Hampshire, Elizabeth Huggins is a double major in Art & Design Media and English on a Writing track, with a double minor in Business Administration and Education. She is currently working part-time for WMTW Channel 8 News in Westbrook as a news producer. Elizabeth is excited to help UNE become part of a Maine Community News Service while providing hands-on experience with internship and job opportunities for students.

About the UNE: Community News Hub Fellowship

This fellowship offers students the chance to strengthen local journalism by contributing to UNE’s Community News Hub. Fellows research and report on stories that matter to the region, gaining experience in media production while supporting informed and connected communities.

Illustration of an avatar on a blue background

Kaci Bieu, Marine Affairs/Climate Change Studies/Environmental Studies ’26 

Maine Sound and Story: Oral Histories of Climate Change Fellow
Meet Kaci

From Acushnet, Massachusetts, Kaci Bieu is studying Marine Affairs with minors in Climate Change Studies and Environmental Studies. She is also captain of the women’s cross country and track teams at UNE. Through this fellowship, Kaci hopes to gain a better understanding of community perceptions of climate change and use it to spread awareness on climate resilience.

About the Maine Sound and Story: Oral Histories of Climate Change Fellowship+

This fellowship invites students to document and share oral histories that capture the human experience of climate change. Fellows learn storytelling and audio production skills while preserving voices that illuminate the cultural and environmental shifts shaping our world.

Illustration of an avatar on a blue background

Miranda Carrabba, Marine Affairs/Political Science December ’25

Heart of Biddeford: Indigenous Art Walk Fellow
Meet Miranda

Hailing from Morris, New York, Miranda Carrabba is expecting to graduate from UNE in December 2025 with a major in Marine Affairs and a minor in Political Science. In 2024, she spent only two months in the U.S., studying abroad in Morocco and Iceland and backpacking through Europe between semesters. Miranda is excited to continue her work with the Heart of Biddeford, building on her experience from the UNE Summer Sustainability Fellowship last summer.

About the Heart of Biddeford: Indigenous Art Walk Fellowship

The Heart of Biddeford Fellowship celebrates cultural heritage through the creation of an Indigenous Art Walk. Fellows collaborate with artists and community leaders to design an inclusive event that honors tradition and fosters dialogue, enriching the local arts landscape.

Shaw Fellows Program: Innovation Teams

SeaMade Bar Innovation Team

The SeaMade Bar Innovation Team brings together students from diverse disciplines to develop a nutritious, sustainable snack bar featuring ingredients sourced from UNE’s own sea farms. This team combines entrepreneurship, marine science, and product design to create a market-ready product that reflects Maine’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. Fellows gain experience in branding, sourcing, and scaling production while collaborating with faculty and industry partners to bring an idea from concept to campus and beyond.

Seven students posing together on a campus overlook with autumn foliage and a lake visible in the background under an overcast sky.

Meet the SeaMade Bar Innovation Team

Jasmin Townsend-Ng, Marine Sciences/Animal Behavior ’26

Coming from Charlotte, Vermont, Jasmin Townsend-Ng is majoring in Marine Sciences with a minor in Animal Behavior. She is currently working as a Coastal Observation Fellow and on the SeaMade Bar Innovation Team. In her free time, Jasmin likes to make art, be outdoors, and spend time with friends. She is excited to make a meaningful contribution to her community, engage in scientific research and applications, and build important career skills along the way.

Eliza Neill, Nutrition/Public Health ’26

From Poland, Maine, Eliza Neill is majoring in Nutrition with a minor in Public Health. She has hands-on experience making soft goat cheese on a local farm and is passionate about exploring healthy, sustainable alternatives through a nutrition-focused lens.

Jayden Schoppee, Athletic Training/Public Health/Health, Medicine, and Society ’27

From Bangor, Maine, Jayden Schoppee is a double major in Athletic Training and Nutrition with minors in Public Health and Health, Medicine, and Society. She is also a forklift driver and the Beverage Assistant at the Maine Savings Amphitheater in Bangor. Jayden is excited to network and advocate for the mental health of youth and athletes.

Maya Brochu, Nutrition/Mental Health Rehabilitation ’25

Hailing from Bow, New Hampshire, Maya Brochu is majoring in Nutrition and minoring in Mental Health Rehabilitation. A self-proclaimed “book nerd,” Maya is also a self-published author. She is excited to promote wellness and nutrition in the community while advocating for sustainable solutions in the food system.

Kylie Reisinger, Marketing/Nutrition/Art ’27

Originally from Middle Grove, New York, Kylie Reisinger is a Marketing major with double minors in Nutrition and Art. She stays active in campus life through involvement in six clubs as well as intramural sports. Kylie is enthusiastic to network with innovative leaders and participate in the advancement of her Shaw Innovation project.

Impact History Lab Innovation Team

The Impact History Lab Innovation Team transforms historical inquiry into a platform for innovation and community engagement. Inspired by National Geographic’s Impact Story Lab, this team uses storytelling, technology, and public history to uncover and share Maine’s rich heritage through exhibits, films, and digital media. Students collaborate across disciplines to create projects that preserve local history while fostering dialogue and positive change, positioning UNE as a leader in public history and cultural innovation.

For the 2025–26 academic year, the Impact History team will lead two major projects. “Behind Closed Doors at the Biddeford Mills Museum” explores the legacy of Pepperell Mills — one of the nation’s earliest textile mills — through worker stories, environmental impacts, and exhibit design to expand the museum’s storytelling. “Whose Stories, Whose Public Spaces?: Access, Equity, and the Building of Acadia National Park” examines how New Deal programs shaped Acadia’s infrastructure, investigates the lives of workers, and uses archives and digital tools to create public-facing projects that connect past and present.

A group of students and U N E staff engage in collaborative discussion in the while seated in a circle around tables with a whiteboard displaying project notes.

Meet the Impact History Lab Innovation Team

Chloe Boulle, Art and Design Media/ History/Communications/Creative Writing ’27

From Atlanta, Georgia, Chloe Boulle is a double major in Art and Design Media and History, with a double minor in Communications and Creative Writing. She currently runs a podcast on campus and enjoys film and podcast production as well as painting and drawing.

Evelyn Cole, History ’28

From Pasadena, California, Evelyn Cole is majoring in History. They have a fascination with historical medicine and plan to be an archivist or a forensic anthropologist. Evelyn hopes to gain experience for future employment through the Impact History Lab.

Miles Gabriele-Burke, History/Anthropology ’26

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Miles Gabriele-Burke is a History major with a minor in Anthropology. Miles is a dual citizen of Italy and is excited to work with the local Biddeford community to preserve their public history.

Jack McKibben, History/Medical Biology ’26

From Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Jack McKibben is a History major with a minor in Medical Biology. Jack is excited to work on the Impact History Lab Innovation Team.

Fellowship Details and Application Information

Program Goals

Educating and cultivating the next generation of innovative and entrepreneurial leaders

Fellows gain valuable experience and hone their skills as they work to apply their academic training to real-world challenges to the planetary, human, and economic health of our region. This theory-to-practice experience provides unique professional development for the fellows that will support the development of career-readiness skills and prepare them to be effective professionals and leaders.

Building a broad, interdisciplinary network that supports and connects students with campus and community mentors

The Shaw Innovation Fellowship program is designed on principles of collaboration and shared investment of time, mentoring, and resources. We expect relationships among participants, alumni, the UNE community, and host organizations will grow and evolve over time to establish a shared understanding of pressing planetary and human health challenges and how to address them at local to regional scales. Our vision is to grow into a broader network across the region that drives change, impacts practice, and inspires regional collaboration and innovative problem solving.

Application Process and Instructions

Applications are due no later than Sept. 19, 2025.

Review program information

Review the program information, including program goals, compensation, expectations, and important dates.

Explore the Shaw Fellowship and Innovation Team Descriptions 

Choose one or two fellowships that are of interest and that align with your skills and background.

Prepare all of your application materials

Before beginning the online application process, prepare a cover letter(s), resume, and one faculty reference. If needed, applicants can work with their academic and career advisor in the Academic and Career Advising Center to develop their materials.

  • Cover Letter: Write a cover letter for each fellowship you apply for. Your cover letter should indicate exactly which project/organization you are applying for and outline your background, project ideas, and how the fellowship aligns with your academic or career goals. Good cover letters express enthusiasm for the project and topic and make a clear connection between your skills and interests as well as the needs of that project.
  • Resume: Prepare a resume that highlights your background; make sure you craft a resume that is relevant to the fellowship(s) you are applying for.
  • Reference: Please provide one faculty reference who knows you and is willing to discuss your specific skills, experiences, ability to work independently, collaborate, and adapt to new situations. Please provide their title, department, and preferred contact method (phone and/or email). Letters of recommendation are not required.

Assemble your application package

Please name your files using this format: FirstName_LastName_SF_2025. You will be uploading these documents into the application form.

Complete the online application form and upload all required documents. Applications for the 2025–26 fellowships will close Sept. 19, 2025.

Next Steps

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship fellowship team will review your application shortly after Sept. 19, 2025. Most applicants who are invited to interview for a fellowship(s) position will be contacted in late September. We plan to conduct interviews during the last two weeks of September, and most offers will be extended by the last week of September or early October.

Contact

For any questions about the process, contact Rachel Tiedemann at rtiedemann@une.edu.

Apply for the 2025–26 Innovation Team and Innovation Fellowships

Fellowship Timeline and Deadlines

DateEvent
Sept. 19, 2025Deadline for student applications for 2025-26 fellowships
Sept. 3, 2025Info Session in the Makerspace
Late September/Early October 2025Fellowships offered to students
Early OctoberKickoff retreat
Mid OctoberFirst monthly workshop
Late OctoberGroup meetings and one-on-one check-ins with Program Manager
Mid NovemberSecond monthly workshop
Early DecemberMid-year reflection and team check-in

Dates will be finalized based on the availability of fellows.

The spring semester schedule will have a similar cadence, dates TBD.

Past Shaw Innovation Fellows and Teams

The five Shaw Senior Fellows standing in a line

2024–2025 Shaw Senior Fellows

  • Ruth Ellis, Environmental Science, Geographic Information Systems, ’26
  • Hailey Haynes-Davis, Marine Biology, ’27
  • Tyler Janik, Aquaculture and Aquarium Science, Geographic Information Systems, ’27
  • Cloey Parlapiano, Environmental Science, Aquaculture and Aquarium Science, ’25
  • Isabel Ryan, Environmental Science, ’27
  • Grace Sprague, Communications and Media Arts, Psychology, ’25
A group of seven students and two faculty members pose in the Makerspace

2024–2025 Shaw Innovation Team

The 2024–2025 innovation team worked to bring a nutrition bar to market that uses ingredients such as seaweed and honey sourced from UNE’s campus.

  • Ryan Garrant, Aquaculture and Aquarium Science, ’25
  • Vaughn Jennings, Marine Entrepreneurship, ’28
  • Cloey Parlapiano, Environmental Science, Aquaculture and Aquarium Science, ’25
  • Sarah Rossignol, Nutrition, Public Health, ’27
  • Jayden Schoppee, Nutrition, Athletic Training, ’28
  • Jasmin Townsend-Ng, Marine Biology, ’26
Photo of David Evans Shaw against rocks and the ocean

About David Evans Shaw

The Shaw Innovation Program, launched in 2021, is made possible through the generosity of David Evans Shaw. Through the program, Shaw, a prominent business and social entrepreneur and resident of Maine, seeks to supplement demand for education and research in the fields of entrepreneurship, science, technology, business, and leadership in order to help build a network of student innovators across several New England universities.

Learn more about David Evans Shaw

With extensive global leadership experience in science-based companies, investment management, and social impact NGOs, David Evans Shaw has helped build more than a dozen successful technology companies as a CEO or board member. These companies, employing more than 15,000 people worldwide, harness modern science to address important needs in health care and other markets. Early in his career, Shaw helped build a leading consulting firm in food and agriculture.

Shaw’s career has included extensive public service in science, arts, conservation and public policy. He has served on the faculty of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the advisory board of the Center for Public Leadership. He is a founding director of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum, chair-emeritus of The Jackson Laboratory, and treasurer emeritus of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has also been a global leader in science-based conservation of nature as a trustee of the National Park Foundation, founding chair of the Sargasso Sea Alliance and Aspen High Seas Initiative, patron of nature to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, member of Ocean Elders, and as founder of Second Century Stewardship for America’s national parks. 

Shaw supports his many interests with the production of short films.