KBNERR’s NOAA Hollings Scholars share about their summer research projects around Kachemak Bay.
About the NOAA Hollings Scholar Program
The Hollings Scholarship Program provides undergraduates with an award that includes academic assistance (up to $9,500 per year) for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid ($700/week) internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. The Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve hosts 3-4 Hollings Scholars each summer and are mentored by KBNERR staff and faculty. We partner with the University of South Florida Ecohydrology Research Group to co-mentor an additional Scholar. Learn more and how to apply.
Meet our 2026 Hollings Scholars
Sean Michael Valencia Monte
Bio: Sean is a fourth-year student studying Global Environmental Science at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. His passion for oceanography and roots in agriculture led him to pursue a project in Alaska focusing on a holistic research of the land-based environment that eventually affects ocean ecosystems. Throughout his educational career, he has worked with legislators and citizens on agriculture and sustainable development, alongside his research on submarine groundwater discharge at his university. With plans of pursuing a PhD in oceanography, he hopes for a research career with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, eventually working in sustainable and social advocacy through Congress.
Project: This summer, Sean developed a long-term monitoring program that quantifies ecological services of wetlands in three adjacent drainages at the heart of Homer. The three drainages flow through land with varying levels of development: developed, proposed to be developed, undeveloped, and contain different wetland types and prevalences. Water samples were collected to detect nitrate, microplastics, and heavy metal levels. In-situ measurements of pH, specific conductivity, and temperature were also collected to aid trend analysis. Additionally, he worked on public communications, creating a guide to advise property owners against developing on wetlands through engagements with city officials and citizens. This study laid the groundwork for further investigation into the implications of heavy precipitation and flooding mitigation through peatland conservation.
Arden Rathkopf
Bio: Originally from Seattle, where he grew up on and around Puget Sound, Arden is a rising senior at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa studying Global Environmental Science with a minor in Earth Sciences. Arden is particularly interested in small-scale connections between Earth’s large-scale systems: the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. For his senior thesis research project, he has been studying geochemical flow pathways of groundwater from coastal springs on Oʻahu, developing a background in hydrologic research that he has been using this summer at KBNERR. After graduation, he hopes to return to Alaska to continue working in the scientific field and exploring all Alaska has to offer!
Project: This summer, Arden’s research compares two different groundwater flow pathways to determine which is more effective at delivering nutrients, specifically nitrate, to salmon-bearing streams. Prior research at KBNERR demonstrated that groundwater discharging as seeps and springs is vital for modulating streamflow, regulating temperature, and delivering nutrients to support overwintering juvenile salmon. Groundwater discharge in the area primarily occurs in two forms: hillslope groundwater (HGW; usually seeps), which follows a shallow subsurface flow path, and aquifer outcrop groundwater (AOGW; usually springs), which follows longer flow paths where water recharges into deeper aquifers before discharging. Arden’s project will compare nitrate concentrations from groundwater samples collected at HGW and AOGW sites, and contextualize that data with the relative foliar cover of nitrogen-fixing alder trees upslope, which enrich shallow flow paths with nitrate. Because HGW and AOGW respond on different timescales to changes in recharge/rainfall, this research will help future scientists understand the ecosystem’s response to climate change and guide future management of Alaska’s culturally and economically valuable salmon populations.
Galen June
Bio: Galen is a rising senior at Old Dominion University studying Marine Biology with a minor in Statistics. An avid nature photographer for 13 years, he has always focused on wildlife. Combine that with growing up 15 minutes away from a local wetland and living in coastal Virginia, it was an easy choice for Galen to study marine science. Throughout his undergraduate career, Galen has done various summer internships conducting bird and marine-related research. Galen hopes to have a career studying the diets and reproduction of shorebirds.
Project: This summer, Galen monitored reproduction and population dynamics in Black-legged Kittiwake colonies at Homer Harbor and Gull Island. The project compares reproductive success of Black-legged Kittiwakes between the colonies to identify the most successful colonies. Population censuses are also done to identify flourishing or diminishing colonies. It’s important to monitor the kittiwakes so we can stay aware of any larger ecosystem problems. Black-legged Kittiwakes are indicator species for ocean health. They’re surface feeders that eat small fish, crustaceans, and zooplankton, so when ocean conditions change and their prey is forced to go deeper into the water, the kittiwake populations dwindle. They’re basically an alarm clock for ocean change.