Finalist Chosen for Marine Policy Fellowship

Colin Hume was recently chosen to be part of the 2011 class of Knauss Fellows - Congratulations! Colin and about 40 other fellows will be heading to D.C. in Janauary 2011, but he won’t find out which agency within the exectirve branch will be his host until November.

Colin just completed a MS at the University of Michigan, with a focus on Conservation Biology and Environmental Policy. Colin grew up near Seattle where both the coast and mountains made a deep impression and influenced his professional as well as recreational choices. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in biology he worked on number of field research projects –snagging bear hair for DNA anlaysis, tracking the movement of carnivores, and searching for amphibians in wetlands.

Ecology is only one of Colin’s passions. After college, he also spent time in Afganistan and Ethiopia, as a photographer, videographer and fundraising coordinator for two NGOs. These experiences contributed to Colin’s creativity, leadership and organizational skills – traits that will likely make him an effective environmental practicioner.

During his years in the field, Colin developed a desire to play a larger role in the decision-making and management of our forest and natural resources. He hopes his MS degree and the Knauss fellowship will deepen his understanding of environmental approaches within the public sector and will help launch his career. We look forward to learning a little bit about the journey!

International Marine Policy in Washington, DC

I have been working at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Marine Conservation for just over three months now and I feel that I’m just starting to find my way. I am beginning to be able to decipher office email with all of the acronyms. Today I spent most of my time at work on the upcoming United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement. I got the opportunity to go to the UN Headquarters in NYC in March for a preparatory meeting and will go again at the end of May for the week-long Review Conference.

It has been a remarkable experience working with the most amazing professionals at the Department of State on important issues such as the state of global fish stocks. In addition to the opportunities in my office I have really enjoyed taking advantage of meetings outside of my office. I’ve been to both Senate and Congressional hearings on NOAA law enforcement, catch shares, and whale conservation.

It has been really amazing to realize how big the Knauss network is as well. I’ve run into former fellows in Alaska, Seattle, and at almost every meeting I’ve been to in the city. No matter where I go I meet great people who have former fellowship experiences to share and advice to give. The support and friendship of current fellows has been great too. There are always current fellows sharing upcoming meetings, happy hours, house warming parties, hiking trips, work experiences, concerts, and expertise on any marine issue you can imagine. Now I’m looking forward to a trip to Sitka, Alaska next month and maybe some international travel after that.

Real World Lessons, Great Lakes Style

When I returned from maternity leave earlier last week, I was amazed to realize half of my fellowship at the Great Lakes Commission is already over. It is an exciting year to be a fellow at the Commission. Since my fellowship began, there has been a lot of widespread attention regarding issues impacting the Great Lakes on both a regional and national level with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Asian Carp issues catching the greatest headlines. While most of my work has revolved around wind energy and invasive species, I have also been engaged in developing contracts for Recovery Act (ARRA) grants and assisting in the preparation of policy comments on proposed national regulations and policies which impact the Great Lakes. The most interesting aspects about this fellowship has been the opportunity to observe lessons discussed in the classroom come to life in the real world.

One of my professors in law school often talked about the need for political champions in order to drive the implementation of federal policies. Working at the Commission, I have the fortune to be educated on the institutional history behind and the rationale explaining some of the newly enacted federal policies which affect the Great Lakes. For example, one of President Obama’s campaign promises was to designate federal funds to “restore the Great Lakes;” this promise was fulfilled at the end of October when the President signed the $475 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative into law. This large cash infusion is sorely needed by the region to implement restoration and protection activities, but it was not a new concept developed during the campaign period. Organizations and agencies working on Great Lakes issues have been pushing for dedicated federal funding for years prior to the passage of the GLRI. One of the difference between 2009 and the prior years was that the idea finally garnered enough political will with champions in both the White House and Congress in order to produce the needed results.

During graduate school, I took a class on social change and environmental movements where we studied the various theories that have been developed to explain how and why social change is produced. A few years ago, offshore wind development in the Great Lakes was only talked about in small circles; today it is on the development fast track in many Great Lakes states. High wind speeds over the lakes is not a new phenomena, so what changed that offshore wind has become such a hot topic? A webinar and stakeholder meeting I helped organize last fall to discuss regional collaboration for the sustainable development of offshore wind in the Great Lakes, gave me glimpses into some of the possible reasons. Part of the change comes from the way the issue is framed. Offshore wind energy development is not just an issue of “clean energy” or “energy independence,” it is also regarded as a mechanism to boost the economy of a region which is blessed with rich environmental resources but cursed with a failing manufacturing sector. Government officials and industry leaders have also espoused the secondary impacts of offshore and onshore wind development as potential means of reinvigorating and ensuring the long-term viability of the region’s manufacturing sector. There are also the issues of resource mobilization and strong network linkages. Both of the federal governments as well as the states and provinces have committed financial and personnel support to developing wind energy in the Great Lakes. Furthermore, there are a diverse array of stakeholders involved in the consideration of offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes from federal agencies and state/provincial government to local communities, developers, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, lawyers and consultants. The webinar and meeting I helped organize was hosted by the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC), one of the many organizations working to facilitate the development of network linkages in support of the sustainable development of wind energy in the Great Lakes region. I look forward to continuing these lessons during the second half of my fellowship. If you have any questions about the Fellowship, please do not hesitate to contact me.

What does it take to become a NOAA fellow?

Not all of the NOAA Coastal Management Fellows have the traditional science and policy background you might expect.

Coastal Fellow Matt Nixon has cultivated a great enthusiasm for New England maritime history, both in his studies and in reallife adventures. It is fitting, then, that this particular coastal fellow should gain a crow’s-nest view of New England’s maritime future—harnessing the power of the Gulf of Maine through the wind, tides, and other forms of energy.

A denizen of the big city becomes a nature lover, an admirer of philosophy turns protector of the coastal environment—at first glance, the life of Coastal Fellow Daniella Hirschfeld is a study in contrasts. Only later is it evident that Daniella has absorbed the lesson in each experience, and her outlook is all the better for it.

Read the full story in the fellow newsletter.

Close to home: One NOAA fellow will be based in Michigan

Beginning in August 2010, Michigan will be one of six coastal states to host a NOAA Coastal Management Fellow. The fellow will be based in Lansing, MI and will work for two years on working waterfront issues throughout the state.

In Michigan, as in other coastal states, working waterfronts are becoming increasingly privatized.  Working waterfronts allow coastal access for commerce and recreation, combining the busy landscape of water-dependent businesses – ranging from commercial fishermen, to charter boat operations and marinas – with public access points and a variety of services.  The gradual loss of public access to the coasts has never been quantified and communities have few tools for managing competing uses for their coasts.  

Read more about working waterfronts in Michigan - here.

Interested in applying to work on this or five other coastal projects, including ones in Puerto Rico, Washington, Maine and Wisconnsin?  Visit the program website or contact Lynn Vaccaro for more information about the fellowship.  Note:  applications are due January 29, 2010!

New Fellows Find their Match

In November, two new Knauss fellows from Michigan successfully navigated "placement week". Each year the Knuass Fellowship program matches 45 graduate students with a wide range of backgrounds (biology, physical science, policy, law etc.) with an equally diverse set of “hosts” in Washington DC. Finding the right placement for each fellow requires a whole week of interviews, allowing fellows to get to know the available positions and the host offices to identify the students with the skills they need. The match-making process during placement week seems intimidating, but it’s a great way to learn about the federal government and perfect your interview skills.

Maggie Rabb, a sociology PhD student from Michigan State University reports, “I really enjoyed the whole interview process. I got to speak with people in so many different departments and I was surprised at how many were receptive to my sociology background.”  She was thrilled to learn that she will be placed with the Department of State's Marine Conservation International Affairs Office, her first choice position! As part of her new job, Maggie will be supporting international negotiations and developing guidance for managing high seas bottom fisheries, work that requires secret-level security clearance!

Joe Nohner, an aquatics student from the University of Michigan describes placement week as pretty intense. “It reminded me a bit of when I went to Disneyland as a kid, a lot of excitement and expectations, pretty much never stopping all day, riding every 'rollercoaster' there, and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. I interviewed with 17 positions and in the end my #1 choice was with the Office of Science and Technology. I clicked well with the people there and everything worked out!” Joe’s new position will involve working on several high profile projects including the national fish habitat action plan, a program to evaluate and address declines in fish habitat, and a new marine spatial planning initiative that hopes to allocate specific activities (e.g., fishing, drilling, marine sanctuaries) to appropriate ocean areas.

Congratulations to Maggie and Joe!

Fast and Furious in DC

These last 9 months went by extremely fast. While healthcare and tea parties eat up a good chunk of the DC oriented news cycle, there have been quite a few interesting aquatic/atmospheric developments, including the newly appointed President's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the ever evolving Climate Bill (drafted in part by Knauss Fellows in Legislative offices). My office has enjoyed a cash infusion for our Endangered Species Act Section 6 program, which is a grant program that passes money to the states for research and recovery of Endangered Species. The last month or so I’ve been living leatherback sea turtle proposed critical habitat designation (our proposed rule will be out shortly), so all you federal register junkies get ready! Our office just contributed to a special Endangered Species Bulletin so hopefully we'll see it reprinted as part of the Endangered Species Update published at U of M. As the fellowship winds down (the new crop of Fellows are getting placed in their host offices next week), many of the current fellows are beginning the job search, applying for more graduate or post graduate education, or securing jobs in their respective host offices. It’s been quite an experience that I’d highly recommend for those interested in the science/policy interface and getting a job in the federal goverment. Please feel free to contact me with questions.

Apply Now!

Michigan Sea Grant is currently recruiting applicants for several fellowship programs.  We welcome applications from graduate students with a wide range of backgrounds (science, policy, law) and a strong interest in Great Lake, coastal or marine issues. Each program includes a decent salary, moving expenses, benefits, and enormous career building opportunities!

Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.  This one-year program matches graduate students with hosts in the legislative or executive branches or other institutions in Washington, DC. Fellows focus on policy projects related to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources. LINK
Application deadline: February 19, 2010  Start date: February 2010

NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship.  Fellows work for two years with agency hosts around the U.S. in state coastal zone management programs. Projects will address coastal resource management issues such as climate change, coastal hazards, or land use planning.  LINK
Application deadline: January 29, 2010   Start date: August 2010

Great Lakes Commission–Sea Grant Fellowship. This one-year fellowship is based at the Great Lakes Commission, a non-profit, binational organization in Ann Arbor. The Commission works to advance the environmental quality and sustainable economic development of the Great Lakes region. Fellows contribute to research coordination and policy analysis activities.  LINK
Application deadline: February 1, 2010  Start date: June 2010

For more information, visit the Michigan Sea Grant website or contact Lynn Vaccaro.

An update from a Knauss Fellow - Life with the NOAA Fisheries Service

Life in DC has been exciting and busy. Lots of meetings, trainings, congressional briefings, happy hours, Obama sightings (mostly imagined), congressional receptions (free food and drinks) and outdoor excursions. After 4 months on the job I am still far from NOAA acronym fluent but can comprehend exponentially more than when I started. Maybe I’m currently at the 8th grade acronym level? My Knauss brethren have been up to many interesting things and have graciously proffered their slices of DC privilege (parties with Senators, naval observatory tours, congressional tours, state dept tours, receptions (including one with a Saudi Prince), science briefings, free food and drink anything) for us all to share in. My office cohorts and “fellow fellows” have really made this an enjoyable experience that I’d highly recommend. Coming to DC and NOAA with other fellows as “insta-friends” is really a great way to be connected with other offices and stay sane in the cubical labyrinth. My office has been doing great work and I’ve been involved with bits and pieces of it. My major projects at the moment include: working on the draft eastern dps Steller Sea Lion 5 year review; assisting on the development of a 90 day finding for a petition to list Largetooth sawfish; and writing boilerplate language for federal registry notices. I’d love to write more about the Steller Sea Lion and Largetooth projects (both have been extremely interesting), but due to legal sensitivities discussion needs to stay in-house for now. Recently I hosted a “webinar” with folks from The Nature Conservancy about the use of their Conservation Action Planning Program (CAP) and applications for recovery planning in our office; participated in strategic planning sessions with our Assistant Regional Administrators and Science Centers; and participated in a large whale recovery criteria workshop. Upcoming projects include meeting about data management with a Berkeley/Microsoft program; helping with some of the pre-planning work for the Beluga Whale Recovery Plan; taking a 5 day recovery training course at the National Conservation Training Center; and helping put an agenda together for our joint USFWS/NOAA Endangered Species Act workshop. To get outdoors this summer I plan on participating in snorkel surveys of endangered salmon in Northern California in July. We’ll start at high altitude streams in the Sierra Nevada Range, dive into freezing pools of water with a wetsuit, count fish while snorkeling, then move to the next pool. I’ll hopefully get up to Alaska this summer as well. Next week is the NOAA Fish Fry which I’ve heard is quite a party. Please feel free to ask me questions about the fellowship and/or about any of the aforementioned projects. I promise no lists next post.

A new Knauss Fellow arrives in D.C.

This month, Sean Ledwin and 40 other graduate students became part of the 2009 class of Knauss Fellows in Washington, D.C..

I talked to Sean this week to learn about his fellowship placement and his first impressions. Sean says it has been a busy but exciting month, transitioning from life as a grad student in aquatic sciences at the University of Michigan to his placement within NOAA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C..

As a Knauss Fellow, Sean will be working in the Endangered Species Division of the Office of Protected Resources, which is part of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. His new office oversees the management of 67 endangered marine species, including species of salmon, whales, and sea grass. They are currently preparing their biennial report to Congress about the status of each species. Although he’s only been on the job for two weeks, Sean already has a diverse list of projects, including assessing critical habitat for leatherback sea turtles and updating the web content about Hawaiian Monk, Northern Fur, and Gray seals. Within the next few weeks he plans to travel to Seattle to discuss his most controversial project, the status review of Stellar Sea Lions.

The other Knauss fellows have been adopted by a wide range of hosts in Washington, DC. Their new jobs include being a staffer with the House Natural Resources Committee on Capital Hill, negotiating fisheries treaties for the State Dept, and working on climate policy, fisheries or managing Marine Sanctuaries at NOAA.

Before becoming a Knauss Fellow, Sean had experience researching aquatic ecosystems, working with tribal groups on marine resource issues, and advocating for greater marine protection through an NGO. Although federal policies influenced his work in each of his past positions, he’d never fully understood how the government developed their official opinions. He’s fascinated to now be on the other side, deciding the type of protection required for threatened marine species. For example, his review of the Stellar Sea Lion recovery will influence whether they are removed from the endangered species list!

So far, Sean reports that he has received royal treatment. The National Sea Grant office has organized several receptions for the Knauss fellows, including one for all the fellows from the past 30 years. Many of the past fellows are now leaders in resource management and policy, creating a valuable professional network. Sean’s office has been particularly warm and supportive, in part because nearly half of the staff were Knauss fellows! Sean says that his new colleagues all have fantastic stories about unusual research projects and exotic travel, so they can easily relate to his transition from graduate researcher in Belize to Knauss fellow. Despite the not-so-exotic office setting, Sean and the other fellows are thrilled to attend Congressional hearings, meet Jane Lubchenko, and bring sound science into the federal decision-making process.

As Sean explained in his application, he sees the fellowship as an “exciting venue to help realize his goal of becoming an innovative manager and leader in coastal policy formation and implementation”. For now, he says, he’s just trying to absorb as much as he can, stay open new opportunities, and build his network - but the from sounds of it, he’s right on track.

Sean is happy to answer questions over email, sledwin@umich.edu. He suggests that prospective fellows visit the Knauss website and drag down either Executive or Legislative to view the jobs of current fellows.