2017 Climate Action Training Program

25849594530_9a03154a15_zUCI graduate students are invited to apply for the Climate Action Training Program, directed by faculty member and UCI Climate Action Champion, Professor Steven Allison. This training is supported by the UCI Sustainability Initiative and is an extension of the 2015-2016 UCI Faculty Climate Action Champion Award.
The application period is closed. Check back in Fall 2017 for future opportunities.

About the Program
This one-year program will run from January 2017 through December 2017 and support an interdisciplinary cohort of ~10 graduate students who plan to pursue careers that address climate issues. The cohort will reflect a diversity of perspectives, and students from all academic programs, including those outside of climate science, are encouraged to apply. Participants will be trained in transferrable quantitative, communication, and professional skills required for a broad range of career paths.
Trainees will participate in a two-unit, problem-based graduate seminar during Spring and Fall quarters, as well as a short course on climate data science. A key element of the program will be a 3-month paid internship experience. Internships will be available in the public and private sectors on topics appropriate to each trainee’s career path. Trainees will convey lessons from the internship experience through presentations during a mini-conference in Fall 2017. 
How to Apply
Interested applicants should send a brief, non-binding notice of intent to apply and any questions to Steven Allison (allisons@uci.edu) at their earliest convenience. The notice is not mandatory and will be used solely for program planning purposes. The full application is due on November 15, 2016. Send a single pdf to allisons@uci.edu with the following components: applicant’s two-page CV, one-page support letter from the thesis advisor or program chair, and a two-page statement of interest describing 1) the applicant’s academic background and future research plans, 2) rationale for participating in the program, 3) expected career benefits of participation, and 4) type of internship opportunity desired (indicate the field and/or a specific organization). Thesis-based Master’s and PhD students from all UCI graduate programs are eligible to apply. The support letter should describe how the training program will benefit the applicant’s career plan and complement the applicant’s academic program. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of faculty, and selected Trainees will be notified by early December. The full application is due on November 15, 2016.
 
Example internship providers*:

  • Irvine Ranch Conservancy
  • California State Parks
  • Nature Reserve of Orange County
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
  • Southern California Public Radio
  • City of Irvine
  • City of Newport Beach
  • CalTrans
  • NOAA
  • UCI Sustainability Initiative

*Trainees are also encouraged to suggest appropriate internship providers