Though the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium offers several other general marine science fellowships, this one was specifically created to benefit the Grand Bay Savanna and its fragile ecosystem. The Nature Conservancy and Chevron joined together with the Consortium to create this opportunity for graduate students. Earlier this year seven other graduate students received Marine Science Scholar Awards from the Consortium for fellowships in the 2000-2001 academic year.
Cranford who hails from Ontario, Canada received her bachelor's degree in biology from Faulkner University and expects to earn her master's degree in biology in the fall of 2001.
She will work under the guidance of David Ruple, Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy, and her faculty advisor Dr. John McCreadie, Professor of Biology at University of South Alabama.