Fellows Program

Focused on positioning postdoctoral researchers and students for professional success in climate adaptation science, the NE CASC Fellows Program plays a crucial role in advancing our mission to help wildlife, ecosystems and people adapt to a changing climate. It is through this initiative that we are preparing a new generation of climate adaptation specialists to grapple with some of the most significant climate-related issues of our time. Toward this end, the Fellows program builds skills that will help them navigate a challenge central to climate adaptation science--identifying and building relationships with stakeholder partners to collaboratively design research that meets stakeholder needs.

The Fellows Program complements the scientific training students receive while working under the supervision of principal investigators and staff by developing proficiency in four key areas:

• Stakeholder Engagement: Developing relationships with decision makers, land managers, state and federal agencies, and non-profit groups with a goal of co-producing knowledge that will inform climate adaptation and science-based decision making
• Climate Communication: Mastering best practices for effective oral and written science communication
• Ethical Collaboration: Creating productive long-term partnerships with Tribal communities by building a foundation of respect and understanding for Indigenous knowledge and science, acquiring an accurate understanding of Indigenous history, and committing to a lifelong process of learning and decolonization.
• Career Preparation: Publishing, grants, work/life balance, inclusive practices, networking and job searching.

Students and postdoctoral researchers may join our program via multiple routes:

• Through their selection by a NE CASC Consortium Principal Investigator or USGS staff
• By working as an intern under the supervision of NE CASC's Tribal Liaisons
• By responding to a special opportunity, such as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion assistantship awards.

The Fellows Program is conducted via three main mechanisms:

Biweekly Seminars: Fellows meet virtually during the academic year to discuss and practice skills related to actionable and engaged science.

Annual Intensive: Once per year, fellows participate in a three-day on-site intensive training session to build collaborations, interact with practitioners, and deepen their knowledge and skill set around co-producing science with stakeholders.

Small Groups: Formal small group initiatives and informal scientific collaboration provide a tailored means to engage in scholarship or service related to climate adaptation science.