UW College of the Environment Science Communications Fellowship

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The University of Washington College of the Environment is pleased to announce a new science communications fellowship opportunity. College of the Environment Science Communications fellows gain skills in science writing. Fellows may write features for the College website, develop social media content or develop their own multimedia projects to connect people with science that matters. Along the way, they build portfolios that help them gain recognition as writers and communicators who can break down the barriers between scientific information and public understanding.

Eligibility

Graduate students in any field from the University of Washington may apply. Applicants must demonstrate strong writing skills, a good general understanding of and interest in natural science and/or policy. Applicants should have at least some social media experience or be interested in developing their digital content skills. The selection committee will consider writing samples, related experience and studies, references and the relevance of the fellowship to future career goals. Samples do not have to be from an academic source. References do not have to be from an academic instructor, but could be from another reputable source. The fellowship is open to graduate students only.

Award

Fellows receive a $3,400 stipend and are expected to work an average of 10 hours per week. Fellows are also expected to meet regularly with College of the Environment communications staff and to maintain consistent email contact when working offsite. The College hopes to work with a few fellows simultaneously.

Application deadline

Applications for the College of the Environment Science Communication Fellowship are due to Washington Sea Grant by 5:00 p.m. PST on September 20, 2019. Finalists for the fellowship will be selected and interviewed in late September, early October 2019.  Reference letters may be sent with the applications as part of the application package or separately.

Note: Applications for the College of the Environment Science Communication Fellowship and the Washington Sea Grant Science Communication Fellowship will be considered concurrently in a joint selection process. Applicants may apply to both opportunities with one application, but must note clearly on the cover letter that they are applying for both and why they qualify.

Fellowship dates

Fall-Winter Quarters: Oct 16, 2019 – March 20, 2020

Application requirements

  1. A cover letter (500 words or less) explaining your qualifications for the fellowship and describing how the experience supports your long-term goals.
  2. Two to three writing samples.
  3. A two-page resume that includes any publications and any personal or work/volunteer- related social media channels that you’ve managed.
  4. Two letters of reference, including one from your professor, instructor or academic advisor.
  5. Unofficial copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

Fellowship selection and placement process

Applications should be submitted electronically to sgfellow@uw.edu or by mail to:

ENV Science Communications Fellowship
Washington Sea Grant
3716 Brooklyn Avenue, NE
Seattle, WA 98105-6716

For additional information, contact Molly M. McCarthy at mollymm@uw.edu.

New Fellowship Supports Global Water Research

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August 8, 2019

With water-related challenges on the rise around the world, there is a splash of good news. A newly established Ivanhoe Foundation Endowed Fellowship will support University of Washington graduate students who are gearing up to tackle some of the most pressing water-related challenges in developing countries.

“Threats to water, such as limited access to safe and clean water for health, insufficient water for food and energy, and declining resilience against extremes of floods and droughts, are ever morphing into newer problems requiring newer solutions and outside-the-box thinking,” said UW civil & environmental engineering professor Faisal Hossain, who works on sustainable water resources engineering.

Addressing complex water-related challenges around the globe requires creative problem-solving and the ability to translate cutting-edge research into real-world solutions, according to the Ivanhoe Foundation. Therefore, the fellowship will fund graduate students passionate about tackling the world’s greatest water resource challenges, especially those who are pursuing solutions to challenges faced by developing nations, such as limited access to safe and clean drinking water and insufficient water for food and energy.

The fellowship will support graduate students in both the College of Engineering and the College of the Environment. Graduate students and faculty from the two colleges are already collaborating on water research through the Freshwater Initiative, which promotes innovative research in the water science and engineering communities to address complex freshwater issues both locally and around the globe.

The endowment is made possible through a longstanding relationship and the strong support of Cheryl Townsend, chair of The Ivanhoe Foundation, which her father, L.F. “Buz” Ivanhoe, founded. An international expert on petroleum exploration in developing countries, Ivanhoe observed the plight of water-deprived localities firsthand, which inspired him to support graduate students working on global water-related challenges.

“In today’s world, this type of support to train the next generation of engineers and scientists for international development is almost non-existent,” Hossain said. “The generous support from the Ivanhoe Foundation will therefore fill a critical void that we see in the 21st century.”