Description

Earth System Science fellows have the opportunity to collaborate with any of UCAR’s science teams on their research topic of choice, either at NCAR or UCP. This fellowship track provides an excellent opportunity to spend time collaborating closely with leading experts in your field in order to contribute to a peer reviewed journal article, a conference presentation, a thesis or final-project equivalent. You can work with one or more experts at UCAR, and use this as an opportunity to create a network of support with other experts in your field outside of UCAR. 

We recommend contacting the science team you would like to collaborate with before submitting your proposal to ensure their availability.

This fellowship track is for graduate students who are committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the atmospheric and related Earth system sciences fields. This fellowship is an opportunity to enact change by pursuing a project in collaboration with UCAR’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

This track is ideal for students who are heavily interested in, or even considering a move to a career in institutional change, with a specific focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

As a Next Gen Policy Fellow, you will spend time collaborating with and learning from UCAR’s Government Relations team. You will have the opportunity to learn skills and best practices used in public policy settings, while also having the chance to explore how your personal and professional interests in science intersect with policy making. 

Fellows will have the opportunity to pursue work related to their personal interests as well as developing skills such as hearing summarization, legislative analysis and the development of policy briefings during their fellowship visits. 
 

Fellowship visits

As a Next Gen Fellow, you will benefit from up to 20 weeks, all expenses paid research visit to Boulder, CO over the period of your two year fellowship. These visits are intended to facilitate collaboration with experts from any of the laboratories of the National Center for Atmospheric Research or in one of UCAR’s community programs. NCAR provides state-of-the-art research, observing, and computing facilities, including computer modeling and computational science, aircraft and instrumentation, data science and services, hardware and software engineering, and education and outreach. UCAR's Community Programs (UCP) extend the science done at NCAR and support the broader Earth system science community with education and training, satellite remote sensing, data assimilation, data and software services, and scientific program support.

Your fellowship will include up to 20 weeks of travel, most often broken into two 10-week summers, based at UCAR in Boulder, Colorado, working within UCAR’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI). You will have the opportunity to explore your own personal DEI interests while learning first hand what a professional career in DEI can be like. You will have the chance to develop and implement existing UCAR programs, as well leverage the expertise of the DEI team for developing your own programs. 

Policy fellows have the opportunity to spend some or all of their fellowship visits in Washington DC or in Boulder, CO. The exact timing and duration of these visits will be decided upon between the fellow, mentor, and program coordinator, and will aim to best meet the interests and experience of the fellow while keeping the timing of congressional business in mind. 

Funding

In addition to your award of $10,000 per semester, science track fellows will be eligible for a living allowance during the period of each of your fellowship visits. Living allowances are per diem (daily allowance) meant to cover additional costs incurred through business travel. Living allowance rates are established in accordance with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), established for the fiscal year in each U.S. city, and are paid for all full days of travel. 

In addition to your award of $10,000 per semester, science track fellows will be eligible for a living allowance during the period of each of your fellowship visits. Living allowances are per diem (daily allowance) meant to cover additional costs incurred through business travel. Living allowance rates are established in accordance with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), established for the fiscal year in each U.S. city, and are paid for all full days of travel. 

In addition to your award of $10,000 per semester, science track fellows will be eligible for a living allowance during the period of each of your fellowship visits. Living allowances are per diem (daily allowance) meant to cover additional costs incurred through business travel. Living allowance rates are established in accordance with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), established for the fiscal year in each U.S. city, and are paid for all full days of travel. 

Sample Outcome

During your fellowship, you will make progress towards a scientific output such as peer reviewed paper, thesis or final project, or conference presentation.

A desired outcome for this track is a solid understanding of what a career in DEI might look like for the fellow. Additionally, a report or product that is the cumulation of the project undertaken during your fellowship is encouraged. This will vary depending on each Fellow’s objectives, but might be a report, a white paper, op-ed, or peer-reviewed journal article.

A desired outcome for this track is a solid understanding of what a career in science policy might look like for the fellow. Additionally, a report or product that is the cumulation of the project undertaken during your fellowship is encouraged. This will vary depending on each Fellow’s objectives, but might be a report, a white paper, op-ed, or peer-reviewed journal article. Finally, each fellow will develop a congressional brief as part of their fellowship.