Program: M.M.A. Master of Marine Affairs, 2005
Current position: Communications Leader, University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program.

Cindy Knapman is the communications leader for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program (Hawaii Sea Grant). She has been in this position since 2005 when she graduated from URI with a master of marine affairs degree. Prior to this she was the education coordinator for the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council where she was responsible for outreach and education programs for K-12 students, fishermen, and the general public. Currently she works on projects focusing on sustainable coastal development, hazard resilience in coastal communities, indigenous cultural heritage, sustainable coastal tourism, and water resource sustainability. Specifically she writes and edits communication materials such as press releases, articles, books, and other publications, and also oversees the Hawaii Sea Grant website. In addition she is responsible for an online tracking system which houses all Hawaii Sea Grant alumni, publications, projects, and grant proposals. One of her favorite projects to date was the production of an interactive kiosk for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Sant Ocean Hall. The kiosk, titled The Ocean Shows us the Way, focuses on traditional Marshallese navigation.

“The interdisciplinary nature of the MAF program perfectly prepared me for my position with Sea Grant and a career in marine and coastal resource management and policy. The challenges and opportunities we face are extremely diverse, and the variety of subjects taught through the marine affairs program gave me a comprehensive understanding of how to address these important issues.”