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Center for Ocean Solutions Early Career Fellowship Program
The Center for Ocean Solutions (“Ocean Solutions”) seeks one or more recent graduates who have received a JD, MBA or PhD in the natural, physical or social sciences in the last five years, and who have completed substantial course work and/or gained experience in ocean or coastal science, law, or policy to collaborate with researchers and experts on one or more interdisciplinary projects focused on elevating the impact of the social, physical and natural sciences on ocean policy.
Ocean Solutions is a collaboration between Stanford University – including researchers at Hopkins Marine Station and the main campus – the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to develop practical and sustainable strategies that address the major environmental and economic challenges facing the oceans by bringing leading experts in marine science and policy together with decision makers.
In addition to helping implement better policies, Ocean Solutions is working to develop current and future leaders who understand the value of interdisciplinary problem solving. This fellowship program is designed to draw on and enhance the academic and professional skills of early career professionals and researchers by placing them in interdisciplinary collaborations focused on identifying, developing, and implementing enduring solutions to the greatest challenges facing earth’s oceans. Ocean Solutions is committed to providing each fellow with appropriate training and mentorship, including access to special leadership and communications workshops, courses, and one-on-one training provided through Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment. In addition, at least one advisor from Ocean Solutions’ collaborating institutions will be responsible for providing ongoing advice and oversight for each fellow. The decision of who will serve as the primary advisor for each fellow will depend on the project/s on which the fellow works and the fellow’s disciplinary strengths.
Projects currently underway at Ocean Solutions include:
- Research for and development of a Pacific Ocean Scientific Consensus Statement to be signed by leading scientists from 30+ nations in and around the Pacific that would draw attention to the seriousness of the threats to the Pacific’s ecosystems and the communities that depend on them and the urgent need for solutions to address those threats. The Scientific Consensus Statement would:
1. Identify and prioritize key threats to the health and productivity of the Pacific Ocean, many accelerated by climate change, for which there is broad consensus in the scientific community.
2. Highlight the environmental and socioeconomic impact of these threats.
3. Evaluate the commonality of problems faced by both Pacific Rim and Pacific Island nations, and the need for regional solutions.
4. Provide the scientific basis for key leaders and decision makers throughout the Pacific region collectively to call for urgent action at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona October 2008.
5. Create a network of scientists in and around the Pacific.
The Statement is foremost a summary of the environmental threats that loom largest across the Pacific Ocean, threats that affect marine ecosystems and resources, the people that depend on them, and the economies of coastal nations. It will focus on threats identified through broad consensus by leading scientists, and include issues across ecosystems, economic sectors, and geographic regions. Participants and signatories of the Statement will be PhD scientists; the Statement will draw on published scientific literature, government publications, and other peer-reviewed reports.
The Statement is one of the first steps in the IUCN’s Pacific Ocean 2020 Challenge. It is an ambitious initiative to identify the threats and impacts to the Pacific Ocean and develop and implement solutions.
- Research and preparation for the Fisheries Leadership and Sustainability Forum, a partnership of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University, the Center for Ocean Solutions, and Environmental Defense Fund, Incorporated. The purpose of the Forum is to help members of the U.S. Regional Fisheries Management Councils increase their understanding of fisheries and ocean science, economics and policy. By convening workshops and providing ongoing support throughout the year, the Forum will assist participants in developing leadership and problem-solving skills as well as provide opportunities to exchange management experiences and approaches across regions. For more information, visit http://www.fisheriesforum.org/. The Center for Ocean Solutions is overseeing the development of the curriculum materials to be used in the forum training sessions. In addition to leadership and communication skills training, likely topics and issues to be covered include science, economics, and law relevant to population and ecosystem dynamics, bycatch and discards, habitat impacts of fishing, quota setting and area based management, dedicated access privileges, and aquaculture.
- Research and development of practical strategies to implement ecosystem-based marine spatial management in California, including the following activities:
- Articulate Ecological Principles for application to spatial management decision-making and guide ongoing management of marine and coastal ecosystems. The objective is to develop and translate the science of marine ecosystems into fundamental narratives and rules of thumb that guide policy and allow managers to incorporate scientific understanding into everyday decision-making that protects and supports marine and coastal ecosystem structure and functioning.
- Assemble, synthesize, and articulate in a policy-relevant way existing and developing data on human uses and marine resource vulnerabilities. A spatial management regime needs to consider and explicitly deal with existing uses, allowing for evaluation of whether such uses are appropriate given their impacts on both other human uses and on the marine ecosystems they affect. Substantial work is underway by others to document and map existing human uses and the cumulative effects of those uses on marine and coastal ecosystems in the California Current. Thus, this step involves integrating the findings and data from other projects and developing strategies and recommendations for capitalizing on this information in the ocean zoning process.
- Evaluate and recommend institutional mechanisms for marine spatial management. Conduct in-depth analysis and evaluation of potential decision-making governance structures for comprehensive marine spatial management in California. The purpose of this phase is to complete a fine-grained assessment of the existing regulatory mechanisms, agency practices, and institutional cultures that may foster or impede integrated spatial management of the marine environment and to develop a set of closely tailored recommendations for state legislative reform.
Eligibility: Individuals may apply who are embarking on a career in a marine-related field, including policy, law, social, natural, or physical sciences, and demonstrate a strong interest and some experience in ocean science and public policy. Applicants must have earned a graduate degree (PhD, JD, or MBA) within the past five years and must be fluent English speakers and writers. We seek applicants whose academic and work background demonstrates (1) primary strength in either (a) natural or physical marine sciences or (b) social sciences, law or policy relating to marine issues and (2) secondary strength in complementary discipline/s. Exemplary applicants might include, for example: a recent PhD in biological sciences with work experience in applying marine biology/ecology to marine law or policy; or a recent MBA or JD focused on ocean policy with significant natural or physical science expertise relating to marine or coastal systems.
Award: Each fellow will receive an annual stipend of $55,000, health insurance coverage, relocation allowance, and limited support for travel and supplies.
Application Deadline: The Early Career Fellowship positions have been awarded for Fall of 2008. No more applications will be accepted at this time. Please check back for the application submission period for Fall of 2009.
Fellowship Dates: Starting date is negotiable with awardee; term of fellowship is one year with the possibility of extension up to three years total.
Application Requirements:
- Curriculum vitae (not more than three pages).
- Personal education and career goal statement emphasizing applicant’s interest in, expected contributions to and expectations from the fellowship, including identification of the Center for Ocean Solutions project/s which most interest him/her and requested start date (not to exceed 1500 words).
- Two letters of recommendation, one from academic advisor and one from someone who is familiar with applicant’s professional abilities.
- Official copy of undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
Fellowship Selection and Placement Process:
- Applications should be submitted electronically to the Center for Ocean Solutions at: earlycareerfellowship@centerforoceansolutions.org.
- Ocean Solutions will convene its Fellowship Committee to review and rank applications on a rolling basis, beginning July 15, 2008. The Fellowship application process will remain open until the position/s are filled. Criteria for evaluation include:
- Applicant’s academic record and employment history, including applicability to the objectives of the fellowship
- Contribution of the fellowship to applicant’s career goals
- Applicant’s personal, research, and communication skills
- Letters of recommendation
- Ocean Solutions will then interview application finalists by phone or in person.
For additional information, please visit: centerforoceansolutions.org. Any questions not answered in this announcement or through the Ocean Solutions website should be submitted electronically to earlycareerfellowship@centerforoceansolutions.org.