2025 Coastal Management Fellowship

OPEN

Important dates and deadlines

• Friday, Jan 24, 2025: applications due to Hawaiʻi Sea Grant via eSeaGrant
• August 2025 start date for Coastal Management Fellowship

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship. Students are eligible to apply if they’ve completed or plan to complete their master’s, doctoral, or professional degrees between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2025. Any questions on the fellowship or application process can be directed to Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Assistant Director for Research and Fellowships, Maya Walton (waltonm@hawaii.edu, 808-956-6992).

Students from a broad range of programs are encouraged to apply. A variety of degrees are applicable to the fellowship because the projects are new and different each year.

Read about eligibility and how to apply HERE

2024 E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship Program
(2024 Grau Fellowship)

CLOSED

APPLICATIONS DUE: 5:00 pm HST on Friday, May 10, 2024

Informational webinar on zoom: Tuesday, April 25, 2024 at 12:00 PM (register in advance HERE)

About the Fellowship

In recognition of Professor Emeritus E. Gordon Grau’s service of more than 14 years to the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) and the national network of 34 Sea Grant College Programs nationwide, we have established the E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship Program (Grau Fellowship). Sponsored by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, the Grau Fellowship provides a unique educational and work opportunity for recent graduates (Masters, Ph.D., or J.D.) who are interested in coastal and marine resource management and policy decisions affecting those resources in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. Modeled after the highly successful John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program, the Grau Fellowship provides fellows an opportunity to acquire on-the-job experience in the planning, implementation, and management of marine, coastal, and/or watershed resource policies and programs. The program matches highly motivated and qualified recent graduates of graduate programs with hosts in state, federal, or municipal agencies and nonprofits in Hawaiʻi for a 2-year paid fellowship.

Eligibility

Graduate students at institutions of higher education in Hawaiʻi who complete their graduate degrees (Masters, Ph.D., or J.D) between May 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024 in fields related to conservation, management, public policy, planning, or law of marine and/or coastal resources are eligible and encouraged to apply. Additionally, applicants who graduated from a high school in Hawaiʻi and complete their graduate degrees between May 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024 in related disciplines as described above from accredited institutions of higher education outside of Hawaiʻi are encouraged to apply (e.g., students who graduated high school in Hawaiʻi and completed graduate degrees in California). Fellows must complete all degree requirements before starting the fellowship on September 1, 2024.

This fellowship is open to both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. If you are a prospective applicant who is a non-U.S. citizen please contact Maya Walton, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant’s Assistant Director for Research and Fellowships (waltonm@hawaii.edu) to discuss.

Hawaiʻi Sea Grant is committed to supporting a diverse workforce in Hawaiʻi. Sea Grant embraces individuals of all ages, races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, disabilities, cultures, religions, citizenship types, marital statuses, job classifications, veteran statuses, income, and socioeconomic statuses. Hawaiʻi Sea Grant is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication, and education programs that serve people with unique backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives, and ways of thinking.

Stipend and Expenses

Each fellow will receive a $62,000/year stipend for the 2-year fellowship ($5,167/month). Fellows will be responsible for obtaining health insurance and for the tracking and allocation of state and federal taxes as appropriate. Possible travel associated with the fellowship may be covered by the host agency at the agency’s discretion.

Length of Assignment

The length of assignment is 2 consecutive years (24 months; non-renewable). The fellowship will begin September 1, 2024 and end August 31, 2026.

Application Process

A complete application will include:

1. Personal and academic curriculum vitae (two pages maximum, 12-point font)

• Describes applicant’s experience in either marine/coastal/watershed/climate science, natural and cultural resource management, planning, public policy, and/or law.
• Describes honors, awards, and other recognition received by the applicant.
• Demonstrates applicant’s interest in working with diverse communities.
• Describes applicant’s commitment to apply scientific expertise to serve society.
• Describes applicant’s prior leadership roles relevant to their career stage (e.g., student government, faculty committees, advisory committees, professional societies, community initiatives, etc.).

2. A personal education and career goal statement (1,000 words maximum, 12-point font) that answers the following questions:

• What are your abilities, relevant background, and experience that may address one of the listed host offices and projects needs?
• What do you hope to gain from and contribute to the Grau Fellowship Program?
• What is your specific preference in the potential host office(s) listed? If you have interest in more than one host office/project please indicate that.
• What are your long-term career goals and how does the Grau Fellowship support your long-term career plans?

3. Copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts. Unofficial copies will be accepted at time of application deadline, but official transcripts are required prior to finalizing awards.

4. Two letters of professional recommendation, with one, we suggest, written by the student’s advisor; however, not required to be from the advisor and could be from a faculty member who is most familiar with the applicant academically. Letters will be received at seagrant@hawaii.edu. We encourage applicants to enter the names and emails of their letter writers in eSeaGrant early in the application process.

5. Written documentation that a graduate degree has been conferred or will be conferred by August 31, 2024. For most students the copy of the transcript will show that the graduate degree has been conferred. For applicants who are graduating after Grau Fellowship applications are due in May 2024, we ask for a signed letter from the applicant’s advisor, committee member, or department chair stating the applicant’s intended graduation date and what remains to be completed in their degree program before graduation.

How to Submit Application

Applications should be submitted via eSeaGrant by 5:00 PM HST on Friday, May 10, 2024:

https://eseagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/ (Note: upon first arrival at eSeaGrant, if you do not already have an account, you will be asked to sign up and create a username and password). Applicants will be asked to submit the names and emails for their letter writers. Letters of recommendation will be submitted to seagrant@hawaii.edu directly from the letter writers. Late applications will not be considered.

Potential Host Offices for the 2024 Fellowship

In the 2024 Grau Fellowship cohort, there are two potential placements for fellows. Depending on the applications received, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and the host office partners may not fill all placements.

North Shore Community Land Trust (NSCLT)

The mission of the North Shore Community Land Trust (NSCLT) is to protect, steward, and enhance the natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and rural character of ahupuaʻa (land divisions) from Kahuku (Oʻahu’s northernmost point) to Kaʻena (Oʻahu’s westernmost point). The NSCLT has been intimately involved with coastal resource management and works to preserve and restore coastal lands through collaborations with coastal communities on the northern shores of Oʻahu since 1997. The organization facilitates a variety of projects to care for people and place in their mission area, which include restoring coastal lands through community involvement, advocating for multi-use coastal trails, and supporting conservation easements to preserve undeveloped lands.

The Grau Fellow at NSCLT will:

1. Support NSCLT in background research and outreach for preliminary plans for multi-use coastal trails throughout the North Shore. Multimodal transportation is critical to community connectivity with people and place, which is tied to long-term environmental stewardship. The Grau Fellow may be involved with organizing meetings for the North Shore Trails Working Group, delivering informational presentations to community members, local organizations, and City/State officials, and building relationships with relevant community, private, and government entities for North Shore Trail projects.
2. Advance restoration of Hawaiian agriculture and aquaculture on 30 acres in the ahupuaʻa of Waialeʻe. The Fellow will help to lead a team of interns and staff in restoration and cultivation activities at Waialeʻe. The Fellow will expand the reach of Waialeʻe Lako Pono through community outreach, and the Fellow will assist with planning larger projects, such as the implementation of new agroforestry areas.
3. Assist in restoration activities at Kalaeokaunaʻoa (Kahuku Point). The Fellow will assist in advancing work to remove invasive species and out plant native species that create habitat for a number of our target animal species.

Desired skills for this fellow are:

• Knowledge of current and historical community dynamics impacting NSCLT’s mission
• Experience applying for individual and organizational funding opportunities
• Presentation and facilitation skills for government, corporate, and community meetings, including outdoor settings and site tours
• Knowledge of Hawaiian culture and language
• Experience working with Hawaiian agriculture and aquaculture
• Experience working outdoors for long periods of time
• Ability to learn and translate technical/scientific topics to non-technical audiences
• Ability connect and communicate with various audiences
• Ability to work independently or in teams with diverse user groups, cultures, personalities and perspectives
• Ability to coordinate and organize working groups and meeting logistics and planning
• Ability to think critically, speak clearly, and write effectively

Contaminants of Emerging Concern

Hawaiʻi Sea Grant will be partnering with a host office organization to support a Grau Fellow who will focus on Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs). Contamination of terrestrial, aquatic, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems can present both acute and chronic issues in Hawaiʻi and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) with known consequences to fisheries, as well as environmental and human health. Prioritization strategies are needed to assess the potential acute and chronic impacts of pollutants in these systems in order to mitigate risk to the food and water security of coastal communities throughout the region. Though CECs are relatively understudied in the Pacific at this time, we can look to programs in other places to conceptualize a monitoring and risk assessment framework, while also highlighting areas that would benefit from future research.

The Grau Fellow focused on Contaminants of Emerging Concern will:

1. Work with local agencies to understand their immediate and long-term CECs needs
2. Identify gaps in the current knowledge related to CECs in Hawaiʻi and the USAPI
3. Review and synthesize research, monitoring, and management pertaining to CECs that is currently happening in other locations and develop a guide for best practices that could be applicable to the Pacific Islands
4. Develop a framework for future monitoring and management strategies for CECs in the region moving forward that is guided by the unique needs in different locations
5. Support the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and the Grau Fellowship host office in developing new communications and outreach products to educate the public about CECs
6. Support the host office’s partnerships with community-based organizations that promote education on environmental contaminants

Desired skills for this fellow are:

• Knowledge of environmental and human health, and experience conducting research related to environmental health
• Experience with data collection and analysis
• Experience reading reports and literature pertaining to risk assessments, contaminant exposure, climate change, and other matters related to environmental health.
• Knowledge of and ability to use geospatial tools
• Understanding of relevant local, state, and federal policies and programs
• Ability to think critically, speak clearly, and write effectively
• Ability to work independently or in teams with diverse user groups, cultures, personalities, and perspectives

Selection

Selection of finalists (2024 Grau Fellowship Cohort) will be made based on reviews of written application materials and interviews (in person, by Zoom, or by phone). Selection criteria include: academic ability, communication skills, diversity and appropriateness of academic background, clear articulation of career goals and how the fellowship fits in the student’s anticipated career path, additional qualifying experience, and letters of support.

Timeline

• May 10, 2024 (5:00 PM HST):

Applications due via eSeaGrant https://eseagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/

• May 2024 (approximate):

Interviews for selection of finalists by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant. Finalists are notified of status.

• September 1, 2024:

Fellowship begins (date can be negotiated between fellow and host agency).

Contact

For additional information, please contact:

Maya Walton

Assistant Director for Research and Fellowships

University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program   waltonm@hawaii.edu; (808) 956-6992

Application Evaluation Criteria

1. Personal and academic curriculum vitae (40 percent).

For the Grau Fellowship Program, the personal and academic curriculum vitae is reviewed on the extent to which:

• the applicant has relevant employment, volunteer, or extracurricular activities in academic, applied, research, administration, outreach, or policy positions that would be beneficial to one of the listed host offices;
• the experience in the applicant’s area of expertise is appropriate to the career stage;
• the applicant has received honors, awards, and other recognition;
• the applicant has shown interest in working with diverse stakeholders;
• the applicant’s experience demonstrates a commitment to apply scientific expertise to serve society;
• the applicant’s experiences show prior leadership roles relevant to the career stage (e.g., student government, faculty committees, advisory committees, professional societies, community initiatives, etc.); and
• records of publications and/or presentations (academic or nonacademic) are appropriate to the career stage, field, and institutional settings.

2. Personal education and career goal statement (45 percent).

For the Grau Fellowship program, the cover letter is reviewed on the extent to which the letter:

• is specific, direct, and concise while discussing what the applicant would bring to and gain from the Grau fellowship;
• clearly articulates the applicant’s career or life goal;
• demonstrates the applicant’s diverse personal and professional background;
• provides evidence of creative thinking, analytical skill, and/or indicates the applicant’s capacity and willingness to make connections between science and broader economic, social, and policy issues; and
• demonstrates the applicant’s ability to convey scientific knowledge in broader, nonscientific contexts.

3. Academic record (5 percent).

For the Grau Fellowship Program, the graduate and undergraduate transcripts are reviewed on the extent to which:

• the education and experience in the applicant’s area of expertise are appropriate to the career stage and relevant to one of the listed host offices; and
• the applicant displays strength in academic performance and competitive course grades.

4. Letters of Recommendation (10 percent).

For the Grau Fellowship Program, the letters of recommendation are reviewed on the extent to which the letters:

• demonstrate knowledge of the applicant and their abilities;
• speak to the leadership potential, confidence, maturity, and self direction of the applicant;
• provide evidence of the applicant’s willingness and flexibility to tackle issues beyond their area of expertise, and an openness and capacity to broaden their experience base; and
• provide evidence of the applicant’s ability to successfully convey scientific knowledge in broader, nontechnical contexts.

Background: The Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Ulana ʻIke Center of Excellence serves as a collaborative hub coordinating Sea Grant faculty and partners who work on projects that engage multiple knowledge systems. The goal of Ulana ʻIke is to ensure that customary practitioners from multiple knowledge systems have decision-making power in research and extension and can direct co-management of coastal and marine resources. Outside of Hawaiʻi, Ulana ʻIke extends its mission to support Indigenous knowledges through its participation in the Rising Voices, Changing Coasts National Indigenous and Earth Sciences Hub (RVCC). RVCC was developed to create a space where Indigenous knowledge-holders from diverse coastal regions work with university-trained social, ecosystem, and physical Earth system scientists and students on transformative convergence research to address coastal hazards in the contexts of their communities. The goals of RVCC are (1) to co-produce convergence research with social and Earth sciences and Indigenous knowledges to improve modeling and prediction of coastal processes that support decision-making by Indigenous communities around mitigation and adaptation; (2) develop a successful, inclusive framework for cross-cultural convergence research that can be adopted and adapted by future research collaborations; (3) broaden participation amongst Indigenous students and researchers and train a new generation of diverse convergence research scientists; and (4) increase administrative and technological infrastructure to support current and future research with and by Indigenous scientists and communities. Together these goals are targeted to enable the Indigenous members of the RVCC Hub to identify the likelihood and nature of future coastal changes, to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies that target their priorities, and to take steps to protect future generations’ ways of life. The RVCC Hub addresses these goals through a convergence research framework that aims to tackle socially-relevant complex issues by integrating diverse forms of expertise to result in emergent forms of fundamental understanding. HISG-UI is supporting the RVCC Hawaiʻi Hub by supporting knowledge exchanges as well as the development of new or extended convergence research by and with Native Hawaiian knowledge-holders.

Job description and duties: To support Ulana ‘Ike’s work with RVCC, we seek a Graduate Assistant (GA) to facilitate project management activities, including by developing infrastructure within Hawaiʻi Sea Grant for convergence research. The GA will be responsible for:

1. Assisting the Ulana ʻIke Principal Investigator in fulfilling obligations to the RVCC National Indigenous and Earth Sciences Convergence Hub, including the following functions:
   1. Support work that bridges multiple knowledge systems to inform development of potential strategies for climate resilience.
   2. Assist in organizing two Regional Knowledge Exchanges focused on community priorities in the Hawaiian Islands and extending into the Pacific Islands to contribute to the design and delivery of co-produced information that supports appropriate actions for coastal hazard mitigation.
   3. Assist with compiling and submitting quarterly reporting materials for project administration.
   4. Participate in RVCC annual meetings and other Hub knowledge exchange activities to share Pacific Island Region strategies for addressing coastal hazards and learn from other contributing Indigenous communities.
2. Supporting projects and communication needs relevant to furthering priorities of the Ulana ʻIke Center of Excellence, including the following functions:
   1. Participate in weekly meetings with Sea Grant Ulana ʻIke Center of Excellence leadership and project related meetings.
   2. Support ongoing UI projects and Center administration.
   3. Update online and social media platforms.

Minimum qualifications: Strong written and verbal communication skills; event planning; general computer skills, including typing, and use of word processing; ability to work independently as well as collaborate on projects with minimal supervision; ability to maintain schedules and meet deadlines; understanding of Native Hawaiian natural resource management strategies; ability to communicate with people of diverse backgrounds.

Desirable qualifications: Experience or interest in web design; social media

Appointment and application: All appointments are initially for one year, renewable for a second year based on performance. Compensation will be at GA-11 step 20 per SOEST graduate assistant rate.

To apply, submit a curriculum vitae, cover letter that describes your experience and that indicates how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualification and the names and addresses of three academic references to:
Dr. Rosie Alegado (rosie.alegado@hawaii.edu). Date posted: November 4, 2024.

Review of applications will begin immediately; to ensure full consideration apply by November 18.