Job Opportunities

AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships, 2003-04

Scientists and engineers are invited to apply for one-year science and technology policy fellowships in Washington, DC, beginning September 2003. Fellows serve in the Congress and several executive branch agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State.

These programs are designed to provide each Fellow with a unique public policy learning experience and to bring technical backgrounds and external perspectives to decision-making in the U.S. government.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must have a Ph.D. or an equivalent doctoral degree by the application deadline (January 10, 2003) from any physical, biological or social science, any field of engineering or any relevant interdisciplinary field. Individuals with a master's degree in engineering and at least three years of post-degree professional experience also may apply. Federal employees are ineligible. Stipends begin at $58,000.

For application instructions and further information about the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship Programs, contact:

1200 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005

Phone: (202) 326-6700
E-mail: science_policy@aaas.org
Web: http://fellowships.aaas.org

Underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

The Leonard Rieser Research Fellowship

The Board of Directors of the Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, publisher of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, created the Leonard M. Rieser Research Fellowship in 1999. Leonard Rieser (1922 - 1998) was an outstanding scientist, professor of physics, leader, and mentor. He was a vocal advocate for the peaceful resolution of conflict, and served as the Chair of the Educational Foundation's Board of Directors from 1984 - 1998. Leonard was also a champion of young people, their ideas, and their efforts to build a more peaceful world. The Leonard M. Rieser Research Fellowship honors the belief Leonard had in the ability of the next generation to play a critical role in the resolution of persistent global security problems.

Fellowship Overview

The Fellowship will annually provide one-time awards of $2,500 to between three and five undergraduate students seeking to explore the connections between science, global security, and public policy (science students are especially encouraged to apply). It will be presented to students whose academic interests, extracurricular activities, and career aspirations demonstrate an interest in the role of scientists in formulating public policy and in addressing global security policy challenges.

Students selected to receive the Leonard M. Rieser Research Fellowship will be announced in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, with a description of each Fellow's academic interests and project plans.

Eligibility and Application

Any undergraduate student studying at a U.S. college or university is eligible to apply for the Leonard M. Rieser Research Fellowship. The Fellowship may be used over the course of one year to support academic research or professional development, in the United States or abroad. The Fellowship will be paid in two payments of $1,250—one made at the commencement of the Fellowship, and the second upon its conclusion following the receipt of a project report and receipts. Specifically, the Fellowship could be used for the following purposes:

• To provide a stipend for an otherwise unpaid full-time internship;
• To provide for housing or a per diem for research conducted out of town;
• To underwrite the cost of travel or transportation to support academic research;
• For participation in or travel to professional conferences where the Fellow presents academic research;
• To underwrite the production costs of a special project, ranging from the making of a documentary film to laboratory work.

Students must supply the following materials when applying for the Fellowship:

• A completed application form. The form is available online as a PDF or Microsoft Word document, or by writing to the address below.
• An 800-1,000 word narrative proposal describing the applicant's intended use of the Fellowship. Students will be asked to provide substantiation of the viability of the proposed project in the form of official letters of confirmation for internships, research at proposed institutions, acceptance to conferences, etc.
• A 1-page (single-spaced) personal essay, explaining how the applicant would benefit from the Fellowship and the experience being proposed
• Two letters of recommendation from relevant faculty members at the applicant's college or university

Selection for the Fellowship will be based upon the applicant's demonstrated interest in the fields of international affairs; global security policy; or science and public policy. While students are encouraged to be creative and imaginative in their use of the Fellowship, they are also encouraged to be realistic in the viability of the proposed project.

Application Deadlines and Notification

Application materials for the Leonard M. Rieser Research Fellowship must be received no later than March 3, 2003. Letters of notification to all applicants will be mailed on or around April 7, 2003.

The Leonard M. Rieser Research Fellowship
Attn: Stephen Schwartz
Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science
6042 South Kimbark Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637-2806

CIRES Western Water Assessment Managing Director

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado at Boulder has an immediate opening for a Research Associate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under its Office of Global Programs (OGP) developed the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program for research and development to improve climate information and its use in the Interior West and in other regions (the Northwest, Southwest, California and Florida). The NOAA-CIRES Western Water Assessment (WWA) began in 1999 and involves a team of over 30 scientists and students at the University of Colorado and NOAA’s Climate Diagnostic Center.

The objectives of the WWA project are to:

1. understand the sensitivity of the user community to multiple stresses, the feasibility and environmental implications of various coping strategies, and the residual vulnerability of different groups when coping strategies fail;
2. develop issue-specific partnerships with climate-sensitive groups to examine the needs and barriers to the use of hydro-climate information and products; and
3. share findings on regional information needs with the federal and state agencies responsible for the operational development and delivery of hydro-climate information and products, and develop partnerships with these agencies to improve the quality, relevance, use, and, ultimately, the value of operational hydro-climate products.

Research is stakeholder-driven. Research focuses on the decision-making processes of the individuals, groups, and organizations that have responsibility for managing water resources, as well as those who use the water, and those responsible for its treatment and the protection of the aquatic environment. Collectively, this diverse set of individuals, groups, and organizations represent the WWA “user community.” By understanding the decision-making processes, the stresses, and the constraints of this community, WWA researchers can develop hydro-climate products that meet user needs, allowing the user community to make more informed decisions.

Duties:

• Contact Point. The WWA Managing Director will serve as the primary contact point for scientists and organizations interested in participating in WWA research. This will involve spending time discussing WWA research with outside individuals, and either providing outside individuals with information/products, or directing them to the WWA Team member(s) who can best help them.
• Presentations. The WWA Managing Director will be part of a team responsible for making presentations to outside groups (e.g., the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Colorado River Water Conservation District), and at scientific meetings.
• Public Outreach. The WWA Managing Director will assist in providing content for WWA press releases, and be on hand to answer questions of immediate concern from both journalists and the general public.
• Rapid Response. During unusual regional events (e.g., the 2002 drought), provide critical information on expected stresses and potential responses to both stakeholders and congressional and State leaders.
• Governmental Relations. The WWA Managing Director will assist WWA team leaders providing all information required by NOAA-OGP program management, and material supporting congressional requests for increased funding.
• Develop content for the WWA web site and monthly newsletter. The WWA Managing Director will be responsible for providing content for the WWA web site, and ensuring the web site is up-to-date and well suited to the needs of the WWA user community. The Managing Director will also be responsible for soliciting and providing content for the WWA monthly newsletter.
• Workshops. The WWA Managing Director will play a primary role in developing the content, soliciting participation, and organizing the logistics of occasional WWA workshops.
• Writing proposals and reports. The WWA Managing Director will provide support in coordinating, writing, and editing WWA proposals and annual reports.
• Organizing and chairing team meetings. The WWA Managing Director will have primary responsibility for organizing and chairing monthly team meetings. This includes developing an agenda for the meetings, organizing speakers, and summarizing the meetings.
• Budget. The WWA Managing Director will be responsible for overseeing the WWA budget, and ensuring that non-CIRES personnel and external contractors are paid in a timely manner. The Managing Director will also be responsible for soliciting and providing budget updates to the WWA Management Team, and answering budget-related questions from WWA team members.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in a closely related field.
• Experience with project management.
• Sound knowledge of hydro-climatic variability and its societal impacts, and familiarity with interdisciplinary research projects.
• The successful candidate will also have strong organizational skills, knowledge of graphics and word processing packages.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

For further information about this position, please contact Dr. Martyn Clark (e-mail: clark@vorticity.Colorado.edu).

The position will be filled as a Research Associate at the University of Colorado, and will be eligible for employee benefits, including 22 days of vacation per year. The review of applications will start immediately and continue until the position is filled.

To apply email Jobs@cires.colorado.edu or, mail or fax (303.492.1149), resume, salary history and a list of three references to:

CIRES Human Resources
Job Code PL-2
216 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0216

The University of Colorado is an equal opportunity/nondiscrimination institution.

For more information please visit the Western Water Assessment’s Website.